Nebraska
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Nebraska [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 448,795 | 442,871 | 442,655 | 440,840 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Asian | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 8.3 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 8.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.8 | 81.3 | 82.1 | 81.5 |
| Two or more races | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
| % Child population in poverty | 12.2 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 11.0 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 3,612 | 3,314 | 3,909 | 3,875 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 5,674 | 6,254 | 6,377 | 6,091 |
| Children adopted | 293 | 310 | 315 | 274 |
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 | 9,997 | 22.3 per 1,000 | 10,707 | 24.2 per 1,000 | 12,262 | 27.7 per 1,000 | 14,767 | 33.5 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 3,612 | 8.1 per 1,000 | 3,314 | 7.5 per 1,000 | 3,909 | 8.8 per 1,000 | 3,875 | 8.8 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 3 | 0.7 per 100,000 | 9 | 2.0 per 100,000 | 6 | 1.4 per 100,000 | 16 | 3.6 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 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 10.3 | 11.4 |
| 1-5 years | 31.2 | 31.4 | 35.7 | 34.1 |
| 6-10 years | 30.1 | 30.1 | 27.6 | 27.0 |
| 11-15 years | 22.6 | 23.0 | 21.1 | 22.0 |
| 16+ years | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Unknown | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Number | 3,612 | 3,314 | 3,909 | 3,875 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 6.1 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 6.9 |
| Asian | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 12.6 | 11.2 | 10.6 | 9.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 7.0 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 8.4 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 67.2 | 65.9 | 67.1 | 66.7 |
| Two or more races | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Unknown | 6.4 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 6.9 |
| Number | 3,612 | 3,314 | 3,909 | 3,875 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 5.1 | 6.7 | 6.9 | 8.0 |
| Medical neglect | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Neglect | 70.8 | 68.7 | 71.7 | 72.7 |
| Physical abuse | 23.6 | 26.1 | 22.1 | 21.2 |
| Sexual abuse | 10.4 | 11.5 | 9.6 | 10.0 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 3,612 | 3,314 | 3,909 | 3,875 |
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 | 5,054 | 5,540 | 5,914 | 5,924 | 3,134 | 3,350 | 3,356 | 3,304 | 2,514 | 2,636 | 2,893 | 3,137 | 5,674 | 6,254 | 6,377 | 6,091 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 14.6 | 14.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 14.3 | 14.9 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 15.5 | 15.4 |
| 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 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 |
| 1 year | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| 2 years | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.3 |
| 3 years | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| 4 years | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| 5 years | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| 6 years | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| 7 years | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
| 8 years | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| 9 years | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| 10 years | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| 11 years | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| 12 years | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 |
| 13 years | 6.3 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.6 |
| 14 years | 8.3 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 10.1 | 9.4 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.9 |
| 15 years | 11.1 | 10.7 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 7.2 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 9.5 | 10.0 |
| 16 years | 12.5 | 13.0 | 12.6 | 12.9 | 11.8 | 12.2 | 11.8 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 12.4 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 11.7 |
| 17 years | 12.2 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.4 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 9.8 | 13.8 | 13.6 | 14.0 | 15.6 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 11.7 | 12.4 |
| 18 years | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 12.7 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 13.5 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 6.8 | 6.0 |
| 19 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 20 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 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 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 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 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 6.2 | 8.6 | 9.6 | 7.2 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 8.8 |
| Asian | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 16.5 | 16.6 | 16.9 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 13.7 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 13.0 | 13.8 | 16.6 | 16.8 | 16.3 | 15.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 7.6 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 8.6 | 9.6 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 10.2 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.0 | 65.5 | 64.7 | 65.5 | 67.8 | 67.9 | 66.2 | 64.5 | 67.9 | 67.2 | 65.3 | 65.3 | 66.1 | 66.1 | 65.2 | 65.0 |
| Two or more races | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | <.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Unknown | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| 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 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
D. Characteristics of Children "Waiting for Adoption"6 (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| Waiting for Adoption | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total waiting children | 483 | 348 | 1,034 | 913 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 253 | 195 | 280 | 293 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 4.1 | 1.7 | 5.0 | 3.4 |
| 1 year | 6.6 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 6.6 |
| 2 years | 7.0 | 6.9 | 8.9 | 9.2 |
| 3 years | 7.5 | 6.9 | 9.1 | 7.8 |
| 4 years | 5.8 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 9.0 |
| 5 years | 8.5 | 6.6 | 8.5 | 7.3 |
| 6 years | 9.5 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 8.0 |
| 7 years | 7.5 | 9.2 | 6.1 | 6.7 |
| 8 years | 7.9 | 7.8 | 6.7 | 6.1 |
| 9 years | 7.2 | 8.0 | 6.6 | 5.8 |
| 10 years | 4.8 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 6.5 |
| 11 years | 5.8 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 6.5 |
| 12 years | 3.7 | 6.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| 13 years | 5.2 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 3.9 |
| 14 years | 3.1 | 6.3 | 1.8 | 4.5 |
| 15 years | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| 16 years | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| 17 years | 0.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| 18 years | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 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 | 7.2 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 7.2 |
| Asian | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 19.7 | 21.8 | 22.0 | 20.8 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 10.1 | 9.8 | 8.3 | 7.2 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 61.1 | 58.6 | 59.8 | 62.0 |
| Two or more races | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| Unknown | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
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 | 293 | 310 | 315 | 274 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| 1 year | 3.4 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 7.7 |
| 2 years | 13.7 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 10.6 |
| 3 years | 9.6 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 10.9 |
| 4 years | 7.2 | 7.4 | 10.5 | 9.5 |
| 5 years | 7.2 | 8.7 | 9.8 | 7.7 |
| 6 years | 8.5 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 8.4 |
| 7 years | 10.9 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 8.0 |
| 8 years | 7.5 | 6.5 | 8.3 | 6.6 |
| 9 years | 6.8 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 7.7 |
| 10 years | 7.2 | 4.2 | 6.0 | 5.8 |
| 11 years | 6.5 | 6.8 | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| 12 years | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 4.0 |
| 13 years | 3.4 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
| 14 years | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
| 15 years | 2.0 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| 16 years | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| 17 years | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| 18 years | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| 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 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 6.9 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 21.8 | 17.1 | 15.6 | 17.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 3.8 | 8.1 | 10.2 | 13.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.3 | 67.4 | 67.3 | 57.3 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Unknown | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Nebraska [ 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 | 92.4 | 94.5 | 95.3 | 92.9 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | 7.6 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 7.1 |
| Number | 1,425 | 1,427 | 1,557 | 1,566 |
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 | .04 | .08 | .09 | 0.13 |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | 99.96 | 99.92 | 99.91 | 99.87 |
| Number | 7,637 | 8,310 | 8,603 | 8,402 |
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 | 7.1 | 0.7 | 10.0 | 8.9 |
| Guardianship | 2.9 | 0.5 | 7.4 | 8.2 |
| Reunification | 62.6 | 80.3 | 75.2 | 76.0 |
| Other | 0.8 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 3.8 |
| Missing data | 26.6 | 18.2 | 4.3 | 3.1 |
| Number | 2,514 | 2,636 | 2,893 | 3,137 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 10.3 | 0.0 | 44.0 | 30.1 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 2.3 | 6.0 | 8.7 |
| Reunification | 65.5 | 76.7 | 44.3 | 54.2 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 4.6 |
| Missing data | 24.1 | 20.9 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Number | 29 | 43 | 316 | 369 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Guardianship | 1.3 | <.1 | 3.9 | 5.1 |
| Reunification | 72.8 | 82.2 | 84.7 | 85.6 |
| Other | 0.7 | <.1 | 4.9 | 5.5 |
| Missing data | 25.1 | 17.7 | 6.2 | 3.6 |
| Number | 1,191 | 1,234 | 1,317 | 1,457 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | — | — | 3.2 | 5.1 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | — | — | 96.8 | 94.9 |
| Missing data | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | — | — | 31 | 39 |
| 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 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 10.6 | 1.5 | 11.9 | 12.2 |
| Guardianship | 1.7 | 2.1 | 6.8 | 13.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.1 | 0.0 | 5.3 | 0.3 | 13.3 | 8.5 |
| Reunification | 56.4 | 71.2 | 74.9 | 70.4 | 71.4 | 100.0 | 84.8 | 83.3 | 56.2 | 76.5 | 69.2 | 71.1 |
| Other | 2.8 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 3.0 |
| Missing data | 36.5 | 26.2 | 7.2 | 3.8 | 28.6 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 27.1 | 21.3 | 3.7 | 5.1 |
| Number | 181 | 233 | 251 | 240 | 14 | 21 | 33 | 12 | 340 | 328 | 377 | 433 |
| |
||||||||||||
| 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 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 10.1 | 11.8 | 7.5 | 0.7 | 10.3 | 7.7 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 8.2 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 6.2 | 8.4 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 61.8 | 72.5 | 74.3 | 77.9 | 64.6 | 83.0 | 76.5 | 77.1 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 3.2 | 4.2 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 32.4 | 27.5 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 24.8 | 15.7 | 3.8 | 2.6 |
| Number | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 225 | 244 | 268 | 321 | 1,708 | 1,772 | 1,889 | 2,050 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 9.1 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 7.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 26.7 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 2.3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 65.9 | 90.9 | 80.0 | 83.8 | 50.0 | 60.0 | 40.0 | 75.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 2.3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 20.5 | 9.1 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 50.0 | 40.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 44 | 33 | 60 | 68 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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. | 44.4 | 40.3 | 48.3 | 49.5 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 30.7 | 27.2 | 29.9 | 26.8 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 12.4 | 15.6 | 11.5 | 13.1 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 5.8 | 9.3 | 6.3 | 5.2 |
| 48 or more mos. | 6.7 | 7.6 | 4.0 | 5.4 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 1,575 | 2,118 | 2,175 | 2,384 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 92.9 | 90.0 | 83.1 | 81.9 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 3.5 | 4.8 | 8.2 | 10.0 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 2.1 | 3.9 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| Missing data | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
| Number | 3,134 | 3,350 | 3,356 | 3,304 |
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. | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 17.9 | 5.3 | 14.8 | 17.3 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 26.3 | 15.8 | 33.8 | 24.8 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 21.8 | 21.1 | 26.2 | 25.2 |
| 48 or more mos. | 34.1 | 57.9 | 22.8 | 29.9 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 179 | 19 | 290 | 278 |
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 | 83.4 | 80.4 | 86.2 | 85.1 | 56.8 | 50.8 | 59.1 | 58.3 | 56.5 | 36.5 | 35.1 | 31.9 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 16.6 | 19.6 | 13.8 | 14.9 | 43.2 | 49.2 | 40.9 | 41.7 | 43.5 | 63.5 | 64.9 | 68.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 3,575 | 3,775 | 3,843 | 3,869 | 2,097 | 2,320 | 2,423 | 2,299 | 2,515 | 2,794 | 2,996 | 3,058 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
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 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 4.6 | 5.1 |
| Institutions | 6.6 | 6.0 | 2.6 | 1.5 |
| Other settings | 90.4 | 91.4 | 92.8 | 93.4 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 1,586 | 1,642 | 1,674 | 1,562 |
Nebraska [ State Comment ]
Todd Reckling, Administrator
Nebraska Health and Human Services System
The following are Nebraska's comments on the State's data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Section B (Maltreatment Information Overview): Nebraska had a 32 percent overall increase in the total number of children who were subjects of a CAN report. In July 2003, we implemented a new reporting tool that guides decision making on the acceptance of CAN reports. The use of this new tool has resulted in more reports being accepted for reasons of safety AND risk. It stands to reason that if you are investigating more reports based on risk that the substantiation rate/numbers of victims may decrease.
Section C (Children in Foster Care): Nebraska has two flaws in the selection logic for AFCARS: (1) children who turn age 19 during the reporting period are dropped, and (2) all children discharged during one reporting period where the data are not entered until the next reporting period are dropped. A clean up of the selection logic and a re-submission of the data will occur in 2005.
Section D (Children Waiting to be Adopted): There is a data entry issue pertaining to recording termination of parental rights. We continue to work with field staff to get all of these data entered on the data system.
Outcome Measure 3.4 (Exits to Emancipation): Refer back to our selection logic problem, where we are dropping youth age 19 from the report. Over 80 percent of youth 18 and older in Nebraska were reunified with their parent. We have more of our older youth being discharged for reunification rather than for the reason of emancipation.
Outcome Measure 1.1 (Recurrence of Maltreatment): The percentage of children experiencing maltreatment recurrence has been increasing. Our 2004 data will continue to reflect an increase. The implementation of a new reporting tool that guides decision making on the acceptance of CAN reports has resulted in more reports being accepted for reasons of both safety and risk. Another issue is providing a clearer definition of what constitutes a new report of maltreatment. Defining a new report prevents the blending of allegations into previous reports that may have existed. This practice change and the quality of the data gathered have significantly improved over time and have resulted in consistent decision-making across the State.
Outcome Measure 4.1 (Time to Reunification): Nebraska has a low percentage of reunifications occurring within 12 months compared to the national median. Nebraska struggles with this measure as we do not report youth as meeting this measure until a Court of competent jurisdiction returns physical and legal custody of the youth to the parent/caretaker. We have issues with some courts keeping youth in the State's custody for long periods of time after the youth has returned home.
Outcome Measure 4.2 (Foster Care Re-entry): We have begun to analyze data to determine strategies to address this issue. One area to note is that when the Nebraska data system was released, historical removal information was not converted. Therefore, re-entry data is not accurate for 2000 and 2001 and was actually much higher but the first removal episode was not captured. We also added the Juvenile Services population to the data system in 2000, which increased the number of youth who could be discharged and re-enter foster care. There are many situations of a youth being involved with us based on abuse/neglect and then later re-entering our system based on a juvenile crime. The data continue to improve over time.
Nebraska [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of Nebraska'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, 7.1 percent of the children in Nebraska 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). Although this percent is equal to the national median and represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (-6.6 percent change), it also represents a noticeable decline in performance from 2002 to 2003 (+51.1 percent change).
In 2003, the rate of child maltreatment victims was 8.8 child victims per 1,000 children in the State population, which is lower than the national median of 10.6 child victims per 1,000 children in the population.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In 2003, 0.13 percent of the children in foster care in Nebraska were found to be maltreated by a foster parent or facility staff member (measure 2.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 0.39 percent, it represents a decline in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+225.0 percent change).
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003 in Nebraska, 93.1 percent of children exiting foster care (measure 3.1) were discharged to a permanent home, which exceeds the national median of 86.3 percent. Also, 93.0 percent of children exiting care who had a diagnosed disability (measure 3.2) were discharged to a permanent home, which exceeds the national median of 79.5 percent. Furthermore, 90.9 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 exceeds the national median of 72.2 percent.
In 2003, only 39 children were reported to have emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) although 423 children exiting foster care were age 18 or older at the time of exit (measure 3.4). This may be due to the fact that the age of majority in Nebraska is 19 and children exiting care at age 18 who return home are reported as reunified. In 2000, only two children were reported as having emancipated from foster care.
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 in 2003 were as likely to be discharged to a permanent home (93.2 percent) as were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (91.8 percent) and Hispanic children (94.4 percent). However, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (15.4 percent) was three times the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's child population (5.1 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, only 49.5 percent of reunifications in Nebraska occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 72.0 percent, it represents an improvement in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+11.5 percent change). In addition, 10.6 percent of children reunified in 2003 had been in foster care for at least 36 months. This percent exceeds the national median of 3.5 percent.
In 2003, 10.0 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2). Although this percent is only slightly larger than the national median of 9.5 percent, it represents a considerable decline in State performance from 2000 to 2003 (+185.7 percent change). In addition, 6.7 percent of the children entering foster care were entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode, which represents an increase from 2000 (+219.0 percent change). Consequently, 16.7 percent of children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time, compared to only 5.6 percent of children entering foster care in 2000.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In 2003, 20.2 percent of all finalized adoptions in Nebraska occurred within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 5.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 23.9 percent, it represents an improvement in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+12.8 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 85.1 percent of the children in foster care in Nebraska who were in care for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings (measure 6.1), which is close to the national median of 84.2 percent. Also in 2003, 58.3 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 about equal to the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 6.6 percent of the children entering foster care in Nebraska who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percent not only is less than the national median of 8.3 percent, but also represents an improvement in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (-31.1 percent change).
