Iowa
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Iowa [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 729,771 | 710,988 | 702,882 | 693,428 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Asian | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.8 | 88.4 | 89.2 | 88.9 |
| Two or more races | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| % Child population in poverty | 8.7 | 7.6 | 10.7 | 13.4 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 10,822 | 12,792 | 12,202 | 13,303 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 5,068 | 5,202 | 5,238 | 5,011 |
| Children adopted | 729 | 661 | 886 | 1,130 |
B. Child Maltreatment Data [National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)]
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overview Maltreatment Information | Number | Rate | Number | Rate | Number | Rate | Number | Rate |
| Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment | 31,317 | 42.9 per 1,000 | 37,704 | 53.0 per 1,000 | 34,793 | 49.5 per 1,000 | 36,544 | 52.7 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 10,822 | 14.8 per 1,000 | 12,792 | 18.0 per 1,000 | 12,202 | 17.4 per 1,000 | 13,303 | 19.2 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 13 | 1.8 per 100,000 | 15 | 2.1 per 100,000 | 15 | 2.1 per 100,000 | 16 | 2.3 per 100,000 |
1 Race/ethnicity data for 2001, 2002, and 2003 represent population estimates. Back
2 A child victim is defined as a child who is the subject of a substantiated or indicated maltreatment report. Back
3 Children with more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted more than once. Back
| Age of Child Victims (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 8.8 | 8.6 | 9.7 | 10.2 |
| 1-5 years | 34.7 | 35.9 | 36.1 | 37.2 |
| 6-10 years | 28.5 | 28.2 | 26.7 | 26.2 |
| 11-15 years | 21.4 | 20.9 | 21.2 | 20.5 |
| 16+ years | 5.6 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 4.9 |
| Unknown | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Number | 10,822 | 12,792 | 12,202 | 13,303 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
| Asian | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.3 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.3 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 3.9 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 74.0 | 72.0 | 71.7 | 69.8 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
| Unknown | 12.5 | 13.2 | 13.9 | 13.9 |
| Number | 10,822 | 12,792 | 12,202 | 13,303 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| Medical neglect | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Neglect | 68.1 | 71.9 | 71.8 | 74.0 |
| Physical abuse | 22.4 | 18.7 | 17.4 | 15.5 |
| Sexual abuse | 8.7 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 6.7 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 2.8 | 3.8 | 7.0 | 9.4 |
| Number | 10,822 | 12,792 | 12,202 | 13,303 |
4 Percentages may total more than 100 because Hispanics may be counted by Hispanic ethnicity and race. Back
5 Percentages may total more than 100 because children can be victims of more than one type of maltreatment. Back
C. Characteristics of Children in Foster Care [Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS): Foster Care File]
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Total Number | 4,862 | 5,085 | 5,062 | 4,997 | 5,620 | 5,829 | 5,821 | 5,736 | 5,414 | 5,712 | 5,647 | 5,723 | 5,068 | 5,202 | 5,238 | 5,011 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 12.5 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 11.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.8 | 9.9 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| <1 year | 2.4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| 1 year | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 5.2 |
| 2 years | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| 3 years | 3.7 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| 4 years | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| 5 years | 3.0 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
| 6 years | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| 7 years | 3.5 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
| 8 years | 3.7 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
| 9 years | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.5 |
| 10 years | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
| 11 years | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| 12 years | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| 13 years | 6.7 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
| 14 years | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 11.1 | 10.4 | 10.0 | 9.8 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 9.2 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
| 15 years | 11.5 | 11.6 | 10.5 | 10.8 | 13.6 | 12.7 | 12.1 | 11.3 | 12.1 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.2 | 11.7 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 11.4 |
| 16 years | 12.3 | 13.2 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 14.9 | 13.7 | 13.0 | 11.6 | 14.3 | 13.7 | 13.2 | 11.0 | 13.2 | 11.6 | 10.7 | 12.2 |
| 17 years | 11.1 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 10.2 | 9.1 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 16.4 | 15.9 | 15.9 | 14.0 | 10.4 | 10.2 | 9.7 | 9.8 |
| 18 years | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| 19 years | 0.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | <.1 |
| 20 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| Asian | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 12.3 | 11.5 | 12.2 | 11.9 | 9.3 | 10.8 | 10.4 | 11.2 | 10.3 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 12.3 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 5.0 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 71.3 | 70.6 | 70.3 | 70.1 | 71.8 | 71.0 | 69.9 | 71.0 | 72.6 | 71.4 | 70.3 | 70.2 | 70.5 | 70.1 | 69.8 | 71.0 |
| Two or more races | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| Unknown | 9.2 | 9.9 | 9.0 | 1.6 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 12.6 | 3.1 | 10.1 | 10.6 | 11.3 | 2.5 | 10.6 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 2.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 7.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 5.4 |
D. Characteristics of Children "Waiting for Adoption"6 (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| Waiting for Adoption | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total waiting children | 1,016 | 1,119 | 1,277 | 1,137 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 823 | 950 | 1,062 | 956 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| 1 year | 6.2 | 6.4 | 7.1 | 7.3 |
| 2 years | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.9 | 8.4 |
| 3 years | 5.2 | 8.1 | 6.9 | 5.7 |
| 4 years | 6.9 | 6.2 | 7.6 | 6.5 |
| 5 years | 5.8 | 6.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| 6 years | 5.5 | 5.1 | 6.6 | 5.8 |
| 7 years | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 5.2 |
| 8 years | 6.5 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 4.9 |
| 9 years | 6.5 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 5.5 |
| 10 years | 7.1 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 4.8 |
| 11 years | 7.0 | 5.9 | 7.1 | 6.0 |
| 12 years | 7.2 | 6.7 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| 13 years | 5.7 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 5.6 |
| 14 years | 5.3 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 6.2 |
| 15 years | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 5.2 |
| 16 years | 3.2 | 2.6 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| 17 years | 2.6 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 4.1 |
| 18 years | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 |
| 19 years | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | <.1 |
| 20+ years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 3.1 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 3.0 |
| Asian | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 17.6 | 13.9 | 13.8 | 13.3 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.8 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 63.8 | 66.1 | 63.9 | 67.7 |
| Two or more races | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.0 |
| Unknown | 9.4 | 9.7 | 10.4 | 2.2 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 5.6 |
6 There is no Federal definition for a child waiting to be adopted. The definition used in the table above includes children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parental rights have been terminated. It excludes children 16 years old and older whose parental rights have been terminated and who have a goal of emancipation. A State's own definition may differ from that used here. Furthermore, some numbers in this table may be lower than the numbers reported in the prior Child Welfare Outcomes reports. Only children with terminations prior to the end of the fiscal year of interest are included in the current table. Back
E. Characteristics of Children Adopted (AFCARS: Adoption File)
| Adoptions | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children adopted | 729 | 661 | 886 | 1,130 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| 1 year | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 12.0 |
| 2 years | 8.1 | 9.4 | 11.4 | 11.7 |
| 3 years | 11.2 | 9.1 | 11.5 | 10.9 |
| 4 years | 9.3 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.6 |
| 5 years | 8.1 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 8.4 |
| 6 years | 7.3 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 6.5 |
| 7 years | 6.9 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.3 |
| 8 years | 7.0 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 4.5 |
| 9 years | 7.4 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 4.9 |
| 10 years | 5.8 | 7.4 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| 11 years | 4.7 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.4 |
| 12 years | 4.7 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 4.2 |
| 13 years | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.2 |
| 14 years | 2.2 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| 15 years | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| 16 years | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| 17 years | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| 18 years | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| 19 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 20+ years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3.5 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 20.4 | 20.6 | 19.0 | 15.0 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 6.0 | 6.2 | 6.9 | 7.4 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.6 | 63.2 | 65.3 | 67.9 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| Unknown | 4.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 1.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
Iowa [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect (NCANDS)
| 1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children without a recurrence | 88.2 | 88.8 | 88.6 | 88.6 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | 11.8 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.4 |
| Number | 5,041 | 6,184 | 5,778 | 5,808 |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care (NCANDS and AFCARS: Foster Care File, Jan.-Sept.)
| 2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children maltreated while in foster care | 0.79 | 0.89 | 0.38 | 0.54 |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | 99.21 | 99.11 | 99.62 | 99.46 |
| Number | 9,381 | 9,638 | 9,599 | 9,562 |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| 3.1 Exits of Children from Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 13.3 | 11.6 | 15.4 | 18.9 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Reunification | 78.4 | 79.6 | 76.0 | 72.6 |
| Other | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 7.7 |
| Missing data | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Number | 5,414 | 5,712 | 5,647 | 5,723 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 43.8 | 39.5 | 50.2 | 36.8 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Reunification | 43.9 | 47.3 | 36.5 | 50.3 |
| Other | 12.3 | 12.7 | 12.4 | 12.7 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | <.1 |
| Number | 886 | 919 | 896 | 1,400 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Reunification | 87.0 | 86.7 | 85.8 | 84.5 |
| Other | 12.5 | 12.0 | 12.6 | 13.4 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Number | 2,995 | 3,127 | 2,920 | 2,641 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 18.1 | 26.0 | 20.3 | 21.0 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 81.9 | 74.0 | 79.7 | 79.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 249 | 269 | 286 | 291 |
| 3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) | Alaska Native/Am. In. | Asian | Black (non-Hispanic) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 29.9 | 18.6 | 18.9 | 33.1 | 0.0 | 11.1 | 15.8 | 14.9 | 24.7 | 19.5 | 22.9 | 24.8 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Reunification | 64.9 | 70.8 | 70.5 | 53.7 | 95.7 | 75.9 | 68.4 | 76.6 | 68.3 | 72.2 | 69.4 | 66.0 |
| Other | 5.2 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 4.3 | 13.0 | 15.8 | 8.5 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 8.9 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 77 | 113 | 95 | 121 | 47 | 54 | 38 | 47 | 558 | 601 | 615 | 621 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pac. Is. | Hispanic (of any race) | White (non-Hispanic) | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 18.9 | 15.7 | 21.6 | 24.2 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 13.9 | 17.2 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 80.0 | 74.8 | 75.0 | 72.4 | 71.0 | 79.8 | 81.1 | 77.1 | 74.4 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.3 | 9.3 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 7.6 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Number | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 222 | 236 | 268 | 310 | 3,928 | 4,077 | 3,970 | 4,020 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 10.2 | 13.7 | 13.3 | 13.8 | 0.0 | 26.1 | 53.3 | 25.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 79.4 | 80.8 | 79.3 | 77.2 | 100.0 | 73.9 | 33.3 | 72.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 10.4 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 7.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 549 | 608 | 639 | 145 | 33 | 23 | 15 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 398 |
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 4.1 Time to Reunification (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 12 mos. | 81.1 | 81.1 | 83.2 | 81.3 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 11.6 | 12.1 | 10.9 | 12.6 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 3.0 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| 48 or more mos. | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Missing data | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Number | 4,247 | 4,547 | 4,292 | 4,157 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 66.4 | 67.1 | 63.5 | 65.2 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 24.9 | 24.4 | 25.3 | 24.5 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 8.2 | 7.9 | 9.7 | 9.4 |
| Missing data | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Number | 5,620 | 5,829 | 5,821 | 5,736 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 5.1 Time to Adoption (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 12 mos. | 18.6 | 18.1 | 22.0 | 23.7 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 20.8 | 27.9 | 30.4 | 37.6 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 27.4 | 26.9 | 28.7 | 24.3 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 19.2 | 15.0 | 11.2 | 8.4 |
| 48 or more mos. | 13.8 | 11.8 | 7.1 | 5.7 |
| Missing data | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| Number | 720 | 662 | 869 | 1,084 |
6. Increase Placement Stability (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) | In Care less than 12 Months | In Care at Least 12 Months but less than 24 Months | In Care for 24 Months or Longer | Missing Time in Care | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Children with 2 or fewer placements | 88.6 | 88.8 | 89.4 | 90.2 | 53.8 | 54.7 | 56.7 | 56.6 | 32.0 | 29.6 | 30.2 | 28.3 | 100.0 | 97.7 | 98.5 | 97.8 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 11.4 | 11.2 | 10.6 | 9.8 | 46.2 | 45.3 | 43.3 | 43.4 | 68.0 | 70.4 | 69.8 | 71.7 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.2 |
| Number | 6,474 | 6,782 | 6,736 | 6,621 | 1,743 | 1,935 | 2,042 | 2,071 | 2,218 | 2,154 | 2,041 | 1,996 | 47 | 43 | 65 | 46 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or Institutions (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During the Fiscal Year and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group homes | 16.8 | 18.0 | 17.8 | 16.7 |
| Institutions | 4.7 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
| Other settings | 78.3 | 77.3 | 78.3 | 79.1 |
| Missing data | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 2,416 | 2,722 | 2,826 | 2,941 |
Iowa [ State Comment ]
Mary Nelson, Administrator
Division of Behavioral, Developmental and Protective Services for
Families, Adults and Children
The following are Iowa's comments on the State data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
The Iowa Department of Human Service (DHS) is implementing Better Results for Kids (BR4Kids), a redesign of our child welfare system that emphasizes family engagement, improved assessment, differential response based on risk of future abuse, increasing service flexibility, and establishment of an on-going quality assurance/improvement process. Under the redesign, DHS has developed a model of practice that is built around the CRSR outcomes, as well as core guiding principles of customer service, excellence, accountability and teamwork.
Section C (Children in Foster Care): With regard to the data inconsistencies in this section, in FY05, DHS clarified policy and practice related to trial home visits. This change will result in more consistent case counts in future AFCAR reporting.
DHS places a strong emphasis on timely adoption and is proud of our success in both increasing the number of children adopted from foster care and in achieving timely adoptions. In addition, Iowa's Supreme Court has implemented an expedited termination of parents rights (TPR) appeal process that has helped to speed up adoptions. DHS is also applying for a subsidized guardianship IV-E waiver to further improve permanency. Finally, Iowa is holding a policy forum in the fall of 2005 that will focus on the importance of permanency for older youth in foster care.
Outcome measure 1.1 (Recurrence of Maltreatment): Reducing repeat maltreatment is a core element of Iowa's CFSR PIP and our BR4Kids child welfare redesign. Strategies include strengthening family engagement, more comprehensive family assessments, family team meetings, implementation of Community Care (a project designed to provide community based services for families that do not meet the threshold for public agency involvement), and establishing provider performance measures. Data from our most recent quarter show improvement in reducing repeat maltreatment. We are currently working on developing tools for our staff to help their work with families in which chronic neglect is an issue.
Outcome measure 4.2 (Foster Care Re-entry): CFSR PIP strategies include implementation of more comprehensive assessments and discharge planning, family team meetings, trial home visits, establishing provider performance measures, and data clean-up. Our most recent data on foster care re-entry shows that these strategies are beginning to result in improvement.
Outcome measure 6.1 (Placement Stability): Placement stability for children in care less than 12 months remains fairly stable. While we are committed to improving placement stability for children who remain in care more than 12 months, we note that our performance for children in care less than 12 months is better than the national standard.
Outcome measure 7.1 (Placement Settings of Children Age 12 and Younger): We recognize that we have a higher percentage of children under 12 placed in congregate care, and are submitting a IV-E waiver to enable providers to offer intensive case management and wraparound alternatives to group care.
Iowa [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of Iowa's performance on the national outcomes established for the Report to Congress. The discussion focuses on the State's performance in 2003 and on change in performance over time. Change over time was determined by calculating the percent change in performance from 2000 to 2003. A percent change that was less than 5.0 in either direction (i.e., positive or negative) was considered to represent "no change in performance."
Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or neglect
In 2003, 11.4 percent of the children in Iowa who were victims of maltreatment during the first 6 months of the year experienced another maltreatment incident within a 6-month period (measure 1.1). This percent exceeds the national median of 7.1 percent. There was no change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003.
In 2003, the rate of child maltreatment victims in Iowa was 19.2 child victims per 1,000 children in the State population, which is higher than the national median of 10.6 child victims per 1,000 children in the population. This rate represents a considerable increase from 2000, when there were 14.8 child victims per 1,000 children in the population 2000.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In 2003, 0.54 percent of the children in foster care were found to be maltreated by a foster parent or facility staff member (measure 2.1). Although this percentage exceeds the national median of 0.39 percent, it represents improved performance from 2000 to 2003 (-31.6 percent change).
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 92.2 percent of children exiting foster care in Iowa were discharged to a permanent home (measure 3.1), which exceeds the national median of 86.3 percent. Also, 87.2 percent of children exiting foster care who had a diagnosed disability were discharged to a permanent home (measure 3.2), which exceeds the national median of 79.5 percent. Furthermore, 86.5 percent of the children exiting foster care who were older than age 12 when they entered foster care (measure 3.3) were discharged to a permanent home, which far exceeds the national median of 72.2 percent.
In 2003, 21.0 percent of the children reported as emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). Although this percent is less than the national median of 29.6 percent, performance on this measure declined from 2000 to 2003 (+72.2 percent change).
Many of the children who are reported as exits to emancipation appear to be discharged from foster care prior to their 18th birthday. In 2003, for example, 177 of the children exiting foster care were age 18 or older at the time of exit. However, 291 children were reported as exiting to emancipation.
There were no real differences with regard to exits to permanency as a function of children's race or ethnicity (measure 3.5). (This was assessed only when a particular race or ethnicity accounted for at least 10 percent of the exits from foster care.) White (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care were as likely to be discharged to a permanent home (92.4 percent) as were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (91.1 percent). However, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (12.3 percent) far exceeded the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's child population (2.9 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, 81.3 percent of all reunifications occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1), which exceeds the national median of 72.0 percent. Performance with regard to this measure did not change from 2000 to 2003. In addition, 2.6 percent of reunifications occurred after the child had been in foster care for at least 36 months, which is less than the national median of 3.5 percent.
Although Iowa's percent of reunifications in 2003 that occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care was quite high, the percent of re-entries into foster care also was quite high. In 2003, 24.5 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2), which exceeds the national median of 9.5 percent. There was no change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003. In addition, 9.4 percent of the children entering foster care were entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Consequently, 33.9 percent of all children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time.
One explanation for this high rate of foster care re-entry may be the high percentage (19 percent) of children entering foster care in Iowa who are age 16 and older. A substantial positive correlation was found for 2003 between State re-entry percentages and the percent of children entering foster care who were age 16 and older. Therefore, it may be the older children entering foster care (usually because of behavior problems rather than due to maltreatment) that account for the high re-entry percentages.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In 2003, 61.3 percent of all finalized adoptions in Iowa occurred within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 5.1). This percent not only is considerably higher than the national median of 23.9 percent, but also represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+55.6 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 90.2 percent of the children in foster care for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings (measure 6.1), which exceeds the national median of 84.2 percent. However, 56.6 percent of the children in foster care for at least 12 months, but less than 24 months, experienced no more than two placement settings, which is less than the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 20.9 percent of the children entering foster care in Iowa who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percentage exceeds the national median of 8.3 percent. There was no change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003.
