New Hampshire
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
New Hampshire [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 309,225 | 307,832 | 307,365 | 306,231 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Asian | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.4 | 93.2 | 93.6 | 93.3 |
| Two or more races | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| % Child population in poverty | 7.7 | 8.2 | 5.8 | 7.2 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 811 | 1,102 | 962 | 1,043 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 1,311 | 1,288 | 1,291 | 1,217 |
| Children adopted | 97 | 95 | 114 | 131 |
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 | 8,120 | 26.3 per 1,000 | 12,132 | 39.4 per 1,000 | 10,564 | 34.4 per 1,000 | 9,697 | 31.7 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 811 | 2.6 per 1,000 | 1,102 | 3.6 per 1,000 | 962 | 3.1 per 1,000 | 1,043 | 3.4 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 9 | 3.0 per 100,000 | 1 | 0.3 per 100,000 | 1 | 0.3 per 100,000 | 3 | 1.0 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 | 7.8 | 9.4 | 8.4 | 8.5 |
| 1-5 years | 27.3 | 29.3 | 24.7 | 27.7 |
| 6-10 years | 28.6 | 31.1 | 28.0 | 28.7 |
| 11-15 years | 31.3 | 24.1 | 31.2 | 28.2 |
| 16+ years | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.9 | 5.8 |
| Unknown | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Number | 811 | 1,102 | 962 | 1,043 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Asian | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.1 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.7 | 79.4 | 89.1 | 86.8 |
| Two or more races | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| Unknown | 25.3 | 11.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 |
| Number | 811 | 1,102 | 962 | 1,043 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 2.6 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| Medical neglect | 2.6 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 2.2 |
| Neglect | 64.4 | 63.4 | 60.3 | 62.9 |
| Physical abuse | 18.9 | 19.1 | 21.4 | 19.4 |
| Sexual abuse | 20.3 | 21.4 | 21.2 | 20.8 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 811 | 1,102 | 962 | 1,043 |
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 | 1,317 | 1,222 | 1,240 | 1,252 | 484 | 534 | 563 | 578 | 491 | 468 | 512 | 613 | 1,311 | 1,288 | 1,291 | 1,217 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 24.6 | 27.6 | 26.0 | 23.9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 18.3 | 20.3 | 15.3 | 13.8 | 26.1 | 25.2 | 23.2 | 24.0 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| <1 year | 2.6 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 10.3 | 10.7 | 10.8 | 8.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.7 |
| 1 year | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 6.6 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 |
| 2 years | 4.6 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| 3 years | 3.6 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 6.4 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| 4 years | 4.4 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.2 |
| 5 years | 5.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 7.1 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| 6 years | 5.2 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| 7 years | 5.8 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 2.9 |
| 8 years | 6.1 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| 9 years | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 3.7 |
| 10 years | 6.8 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 3.1 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| 11 years | 6.1 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.9 |
| 12 years | 5.7 | 7.4 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 7.6 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.7 |
| 13 years | 5.6 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 6.4 | 4.5 | 7.1 | 6.4 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 6.7 |
| 14 years | 6.5 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 6.2 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 6.9 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 8.9 |
| 15 years | 6.8 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 9.3 | 7.2 | 7.7 | 9.1 | 11.1 | 5.9 | 4.5 | 6.3 | 8.8 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 9.5 | 9.3 |
| 16 years | 7.3 | 6.4 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 5.6 | 5.1 | 7.8 | 7.3 | 9.0 | 5.3 | 7.8 | 9.8 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
| 17 years | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 6.9 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.1 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 7.1 | 7.5 |
| 18 years | 2.0 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 8.8 | 10.0 | 7.4 | 6.0 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.6 |
| 19 years | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| 20 years | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
| Missing data | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 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 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Asian | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | <.1 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.2 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 5.2 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 7.2 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.7 | 87.4 | 86.3 | 85.0 | 82.4 | 85.6 | 86.7 | 78.5 | 83.1 | 89.1 | 86.9 | 83.0 | 87.5 | 86.0 | 86.2 | 82.9 |
| Two or more races | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 |
| Unknown | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 7.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 3.9 |
| Missing data | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.1 | 1.3 | 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 | 207 | 198 | 193 | 176 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 89 | 79 | 25 | 20 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1 year | 3.9 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.7 |
| 2 years | 3.4 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 7.4 |
| 3 years | 10.1 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| 4 years | 6.8 | 7.6 | 6.2 | 7.4 |
| 5 years | 9.7 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 6.8 |
| 6 years | 9.7 | 5.6 | 7.3 | 5.7 |
| 7 years | 8.7 | 8.6 | 6.7 | 4.0 |
| 8 years | 11.1 | 9.1 | 8.3 | 5.1 |
| 9 years | 8.2 | 9.1 | 9.8 | 7.4 |
| 10 years | 9.2 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 10.8 |
| 11 years | 5.8 | 9.6 | 7.3 | 8.5 |
| 12 years | 5.3 | 7.1 | 9.3 | 9.1 |
| 13 years | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 7.4 |
| 14 years | 1.0 | 3.5 | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| 15 years | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 4.0 |
| 16 years | 0.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| 17 years | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
| 18 years | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| 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 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 6.8 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 9.7 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.0 | 84.8 | 86.0 | 82.4 |
| Two or more races | 5.3 | 5.6 | 3.6 | 5.7 |
| Unknown | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| 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 | 97 | 95 | 114 | 131 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.8 |
| 1 year | 2.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| 2 years | 2.1 | 9.5 | 6.1 | 9.2 |
| 3 years | 10.3 | 14.7 | 8.8 | 11.5 |
| 4 years | 14.4 | 6.3 | 7.0 | 8.4 |
| 5 years | 15.5 | 13.7 | 8.8 | 6.1 |
| 6 years | 10.3 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 9.2 |
| 7 years | 11.3 | 9.5 | 7.0 | 11.5 |
| 8 years | 11.3 | 8.4 | 5.3 | 6.1 |
| 9 years | 5.2 | 8.4 | 5.3 | 11.5 |
| 10 years | 7.2 | 4.2 | 8.8 | 4.6 |
| 11 years | 5.2 | 4.2 | 8.8 | 2.3 |
| 12 years | 2.1 | 2.1 | 7.9 | 7.6 |
| 13 years | 0.0 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 3.1 |
| 14 years | 0.0 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
| 15 years | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| 16 years | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| 17 years | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| 18 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 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 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 2.1 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 1.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 8.2 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 6.1 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.6 | 88.4 | 90.4 | 88.5 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 0.0 |
| Unknown | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 3.1 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
New Hampshire [ 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 | 91.8 | 91.7 | 97.4 | 95.4 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | 8.2 | 8.3 | 2.6 | 4.6 |
| Number | 281 | 384 | 388 | 413 |
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 | 0.0 | 0.12 | 0.06 | — |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | 100.00 | 99.88 | 99.94 | — |
| Number | 1,693 | 1,631 | 1,708 | — |
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 | 18.3 | 16.7 | 19.1 | 20.4 |
| Guardianship | 5.5 | 4.1 | 5.3 | 4.9 |
| Reunification | 47.7 | 55.1 | 54.9 | 50.6 |
| Other | 19.3 | 18.8 | 17.2 | 18.9 |
| Missing data | 9.2 | 5.3 | 3.5 | 5.2 |
| Number | 491 | 468 | 512 | 613 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 44.3 | 33.3 | 29.1 | 27.2 |
| Guardianship | 3.2 | 1.4 | 4.9 | 4.0 |
| Reunification | 31.6 | 44.7 | 42.7 | 38.4 |
| Other | 15.8 | 14.9 | 16.5 | 22.5 |
| Missing data | 5.1 | 5.7 | 6.8 | 7.9 |
| Number | 158 | 141 | 103 | 151 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Guardianship | 1.4 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 4.1 |
| Reunification | 52.8 | 44.4 | 58.9 | 58.6 |
| Other | 35.9 | 45.2 | 30.5 | 31.8 |
| Missing data | 9.9 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 5.0 |
| Number | 142 | 126 | 151 | 220 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 45.6 | 33.3 | 42.9 | 32.4 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 54.4 | 66.7 | 57.1 | 67.6 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 57 | 54 | 56 | 71 |
| 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 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 21.4 | 33.3 | 7.7 | 9.5 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 21.4 | 0.0 | 15.4 | 4.8 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 35.7 | 33.3 | 69.2 | 57.1 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 21.4 | 16.7 | 0.0 | 14.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 7.7 | 14.3 |
| Number | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 21 |
| |
||||||||||||
| 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 | 33.3 | 10.3 | 22.7 | 4.0 | 27.3 | 20.6 | 15.3 | 20.0 | 20.2 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 16.0 | 9.1 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.1 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.3 | 58.6 | 68.2 | 40.0 | 43.2 | 46.1 | 56.6 | 56.0 | 52.5 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.3 | 13.8 | 9.1 | 32.0 | 15.9 | 19.6 | 18.5 | 16.6 | 18.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.8 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 4.5 | 8.1 | 5.5 | 2.9 | 4.7 |
| Number | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 22 | 25 | 44 | 408 | 417 | 445 | 509 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.1 | 0.0 | 53.8 | 36.8 | 23.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.5 | 11.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.4 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 60.0 | 100.0 | 62.5 | 38.9 | 42.9 | 15.4 | 36.8 | 23.1 | 68.0 | 16.7 | 0.0 | <.1 |
| Other | 20.0 | 0.0 | 12.5 | 33.3 | 42.9 | 30.8 | 21.1 | 23.1 | 16.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | <.1 |
| Missing data | 20.0 | 0.0 | 12.5 | 5.6 | 14.3 | 0.0 | 5.3 | 15.4 | 16.0 | 16.7 | 0.0 | <.1 |
| Number | 5 | 2 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 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. | 58.5 | 48.8 | 62.6 | 62.3 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 22.6 | 26.4 | 21.4 | 24.2 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 9.8 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 4.5 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 4.3 | 6.2 | 2.1 | 4.2 |
| 48 or more mos. | 3.4 | 9.7 | 6.0 | 4.2 |
| Missing data | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| Number | 234 | 258 | 281 | 310 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 69.4 | 71.9 | 72.3 | 74.0 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 13.4 | 13.3 | 17.4 | 16.6 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 5.4 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 6.4 |
| Missing data | 11.8 | 9.2 | 5.7 | 2.9 |
| Number | 484 | 534 | 563 | 578 |
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. | 3.3 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 0.0 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 10.0 | 2.6 | 12.2 | 16.8 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 18.9 | 21.8 | 25.5 | 25.6 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 30.0 | 43.6 | 21.4 | 18.4 |
| 48 or more mos. | 37.8 | 29.5 | 36.7 | 39.2 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 90 | 78 | 98 | 125 |
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 | 85.8 | 88.7 | 87.4 | 83.9 | 60.6 | 63.4 | 73.4 | 72.4 | 44.8 | 42.5 | 42.3 | 39.7 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 14.2 | 11.3 | 12.6 | 16.1 | 39.4 | 36.6 | 26.6 | 27.6 | 55.2 | 57.5 | 57.7 | 60.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 557 | 576 | 617 | 660 | 335 | 306 | 354 | 341 | 902 | 872 | 827 | 824 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
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 | 9.4 | 7.3 | 11.3 | 10.6 |
| Institutions | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Other settings | 90.3 | 92.7 | 87.8 | 88.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 329 | 371 | 345 | 340 |
New Hampshire [ State Comment ]
Nancy L. Rollins, Director
Division for Children, Youth and Families
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
The following are New Hampshire's comments on the State data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Section D (Children Waiting for Adoption): The data show that in FY 2003, only 11 percent of the 177 children waiting to be adopted were reported to have a termination of parental rights. According to our data system (Bridges), of the 177 children waiting to be adopted, 129 (73 percent) now have parental rights terminated. The data for these 177 children indicate the following: (1) 47 children had termination dates during the AFCARS reporting period but it appears that these dates were entered after the AFCARS submission; 44 children had terminations dates prior to the AFCARS reporting period, but it appears that these dates were entered after the AFCARS submission; 38 children had termination dates occurring after the AFCARS reporting period. NH will revise the data entry cycle to improve timeliness.
Outcome measures 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 (Exits to Permanency): There is a high percentage of children in FY 2003 who exited care to other than a permanent family (i.e., they did not exit to adoption, reunification, or guardianship). The Child Protection Administrator and the Data Management Group will research this issue to ensure that the data reflect current practice.
Outcome measure 4.2 (Re-entry into Foster Care): A trend is difficult to evaluate for this outcome as NH has made considerable improvement in data collection. For example, in 2000, 11.8 percent of children had missing data for this measure, compared to 2.9 percent in 2003. Interestingly, the percentage of children who are entering care for the first time (no reentries) increased from 69.4 percent in 2000 to 74 percent in 2003. Preliminary internal analysis of the first-time entry cohort from 2000 (child protection removals only) has found that only 6 percent of those children who entered care for the first time in 2000 have since re-entered care.
NH has also been working to evaluate children entering care for child protection separately from those entering for CHINS or delinquency. For child protection and shared cases,1 the percentage of children re-entering within 12 months was 11.97 percent, closer to the national median. For juvenile justice and shared cases, the percent re-entering within 12 months was 35 percent (55 of 157 children). It is clear that youth in juvenile justice cases (a smaller proportion of the IV-E eligible children) have had considerable influence on this measure.
Data created internally from NCANDS and AFCARS files and used for public data may differ slightly from the Child Welfare publications due to file resubmission and/or ongoing system and/or data changes such as client merges, etc. Additionally, methods and syntax used to create internal DCYF data from the NCANDS and AFCARS files may differ slightly from the syntax used at ACF. This may create variance from the tables in the data book.
Outcome Measure 1.1 (Recurrence of Maltreatment): NH has concerns with the measurement of recurrence of maltreatment as it often is measuring concurrent findings, circumstances where several allegations are being investigated during the same time period. Also, the current design includes findings for maltreatment that was not disclosed until after a child was safe in foster care.
1 NH includes dual involved children in both the CPS and Juvenile Justice data profiles. Back
New Hampshire [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of New Hampshire'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, 4.6 percent of the children in New Hampshire 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 not only is less than the national median of 7.1 percent, but also represents an improvement in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (-43.9 percent change.).
The relatively low percentage of children experiencing maltreatment recurrence in 2003 corresponds to a relatively low rate of child victims in 2003. In 2003, the rate of child maltreatment victims was 3.4 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
New Hampshire did not provide data for 2003 to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System to calculate outcome measure 2.1.
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 75.9 percent of children exiting foster care in New Hampshire (measure 3.1) were discharged to a permanent home, which is less than the national median of 86.3 percent. Also in 2003, 69.6 percent of children exiting care who had a diagnosed disability (measure 3.2) were discharged to a permanent home, which is less than the national median of 79.5 percent. Furthermore, 63.2 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 is less than the national median of 72.2 percent.
With regard to ensuring that children emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) do not spend most of their formative years in foster care, in 2003, 32.4 percent of the children reported as emancipated from foster care entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). Although this percent exceeds the national median of 29.6 percent, it represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (-28.9 percent change).
It is not possible to assess differences with regard to exits to permanency as a function of children's race or ethnicity (measure 3.5) because the majority of children exiting foster care in 2003 were White (non-Hispanic) (83.0 percent). However, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (3.9 percent) exceeded the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's child population (1.5 percent). In addition, the percent of Hispanic children in the foster care population (5.0 percent) exceeded the percent of these children in the State's child population (2.6 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, 62.3 percent of reunifications in New Hampshire occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1). Although this is less than the national median of 72.0 percent, it represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+6.5 percent change). However, 8.4 percent of reunifications occurred after the child had been in foster care for at least 36 months, which is considerably more than the national median of 3.5 percent.
In 2003, 16.6 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2), which far exceeds the national median of 9.5 percent. Change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003 cannot be assessed because of missing data in earlier years. Also in 2003, 6.4 percent of the children entering foster care were entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Consequently, 23.0 percent of all children entering foster care in New Hampshire in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In 2003, only 16.8 percent of finalized adoptions in New Hampshire 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 from 2000 to 2003 (+26.3 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 83.9 percent of the children in foster care for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings (measure 6.1), which is about equal to the national median of 84.2 percent. However, also in 2003, 72.4 percent of the children in foster care for at least 12 months, but less than 24 months, experienced no more than two placement settings. This percent exceeds the national median for this measure of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 11.5 percent of the children entering foster care in New Hampshire who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percentage not only exceeds the national median of 8.3 percent, but also represents a decline in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+18.6 percent change).
