South Carolina

Context Data | Outcomes Data | Federal Comment

South Carolina [ Context Data ]

A. Context Statistics

General Child Population (Census Bureau)	2000	2001	2002	2003
Total children under 18 years	1,009,216	1,013,251	1,018,092	1,023,504
Race/Ethnicity (%)1
Alaska Native/American Indian	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3
Asian	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9
Black (non-Hispanic)	36.4	36.1	35.6	35.5
Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander	0.0	<.1	<.1	<.1
Hispanic (of any race)	2.8	3.0	3.0	3.2
White (non-Hispanic)	58.0	58.3	58.8	58.6
Two or more races	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.4
% Child population in poverty	16.3	23.0	19.0	17.4

Child Welfare Summary	2000	2001	2002	2003
Child maltreatment victims2	11,246	11,199	10,738	11,143
Children in foster care on 9/30	4,525	4,774	4,818	4,894
Children adopted	378	384	345	280

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	38,844	38.5 per 1,000	36,836	36.3 per 1,000	30,937	30.4 per 1,000	39,396	38.5 per 1,000
Total child maltreatment victims3	11,246	11.1 per 1,000	11,199	11.1 per 1,000	10,738	10.6 per 1,000	11,143	10.9 per 1,000
Child fatalities	20	2.0 per 100,000	23	2.3 per 100,000	13	1.3 per 100,000	20	2.0 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	8.1	10.7	10.7	11.0
1-5 years	28.2	28.3	27.0	28.3
6-10 years	29.9	29.1	26.9	26.7
11-15 years	26.2	26.2	25.2	25.1
16+ years	6.0	5.2	4.8	4.6
Unknown	1.7	0.4	5.4	4.3
Number	11,246	11,199	10,738	11,143

Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4	2000	2001	2002	2003
Alaska Native/American Indian	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Asian	0.4	0.3	0.2	0.2
Black (non-Hispanic)	45.6	43.9	41.0	39.9
Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.0
Hispanic (of any race)	1.7	2.3	2.8	2.7
White (non-Hispanic)	52.3	50.7	50.9	52.3
Two or more races	0.0	1.9	2.6	2.7
Unknown	0.0	0.6	2.3	2.1
Number	11,246	11,199	10,738	11,143

Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5	2000	2001	2002	2003
Emotional abuse	0.6	2.9	2.2	1.3
Medical neglect	4.0	3.9	3.4	4.1
Neglect	53.0	68.1	64.8	64.8
Physical abuse	13.6	33.4	33.4	34.7
Sexual abuse	5.4	8.1	8.8	7.8
Unknown/missing data	8.9	0.0	0.0	0.0
Other	70.0	0.2	0.4	0.2
Number	11,246	11,199	10,738	11,143

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	4,491	4,476	4,688	4,740	3,172	3,405	3,537	3,410	3,137	3,107	3,407	3,256	4,525	4,774	4,818	4,894
Median length of stay (months)	20.3	21.2	19.4	18.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	5.4	4.6	5.0	5.1	20.4	19.2	18.4	19.3

	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	4.5	5.0	4.7	5.1	15.4	13.9	14.1	13.6	7.0	7.1	5.8	6.3	5.2	4.7	5.2	4.3
1 year	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.7	6.6	6.3	5.9	6.3	5.9	6.8	6.2	6.8	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.8
2 years	4.5	5.0	4.7	5.4	5.5	5.8	6.1	5.8	6.6	6.6	6.3	6.7	5.0	4.8	5.5	5.5
3 years	4.3	4.0	4.5	4.3	5.0	5.1	4.9	4.8	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7	4.1	4.5	4.3	5.0
4 years	4.1	3.6	4.1	4.0	3.9	4.3	4.5	5.3	5.0	4.6	4.9	5.9	3.7	4.0	4.0	3.8
5 years	3.8	3.3	3.5	3.8	4.7	4.6	4.0	4.4	5.6	4.8	4.1	4.5	3.3	3.5	3.8	3.5
6 years	4.0	3.8	3.5	3.2	5.3	5.1	4.9	4.5	4.8	4.6	5.4	4.5	3.7	3.6	3.2	4.0
7 years	4.9	4.5	3.7	3.3	5.3	4.7	4.1	4.5	5.3	4.8	4.3	4.2	4.4	3.6	3.3	3.4
8 years	4.7	4.7	4.5	3.9	5.4	4.8	4.7	4.8	5.3	5.1	5.2	4.5	4.7	4.6	3.8	3.5
9 years	5.2	4.8	4.3	4.0	5.1	4.9	4.9	3.7	5.2	5.4	5.1	3.9	4.7	4.3	3.9	3.8
10 years	4.5	5.4	4.6	4.6	5.1	4.9	5.1	4.7	4.4	5.1	4.5	4.2	5.4	4.7	4.6	4.4
11 years	5.1	5.2	5.4	4.7	4.5	4.9	4.7	4.3	4.2	4.5	4.8	4.4	5.2	5.5	4.8	4.3
12 years	5.8	5.4	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.0	6.0	6.0	4.4	4.6	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.2	5.6	5.2
13 years	6.8	5.9	6.1	5.9	6.1	5.6	5.3	7.1	5.1	4.0	4.3	5.2	5.9	6.1	5.9	6.8
14 years	6.7	7.6	7.0	6.8	6.0	7.0	6.5	6.5	4.7	5.1	5.4	4.9	7.6	7.1	6.7	7.3
15 years	7.8	7.6	8.2	7.8	6.1	6.5	6.8	6.0	5.2	5.3	5.6	5.0	7.6	8.3	7.9	7.4
16 years	7.5	8.1	8.2	8.8	4.0	5.1	5.6	5.3	4.3	5.1	5.1	4.7	8.1	8.2	8.8	8.6
17 years	6.2	6.4	7.0	7.5	1.0	1.4	1.1	1.4	4.7	3.7	4.1	5.3	6.4	7.0	7.5	7.8
18 years	2.5	2.2	3.1	3.0	0.0	<.1	0.1	0.2	4.8	4.7	5.1	5.6	2.2	2.9	3.0	2.8
19 years	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.6	0.0	<.1	<.1	<.1	1.1	0.9	1.2	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.6	1.4
20 years	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.0	0.0	<.1	<.1	0.9	0.7	0.8	1.0	0.6	0.7	0.7	1.1
Missing data	<.1	<.1	0.1	0.0	<.1	<.1	0.8	0.5	0.4	0.4	1.0	0.4	<.1	<.1	0.2	0.2

	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	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.4	0.0	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1
Asian	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Black (non-Hispanic)	62.7	61.2	60.0	55.0	52.0	52.7	49.2	43.3	54.3	53.6	54.0	43.7	61.1	60.1	56.3	54.5
Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	<.1	<.1	<.1
Hispanic (of any race)	1.1	1.4	1.4	2.4	2.7	2.9	3.7	3.5	2.2	2.9	2.5	3.8	1.4	1.5	2.3	2.2
White (non-Hispanic)	35.6	36.8	37.7	40.2	44.2	43.1	45.0	49.3	42.6	42.5	41.7	49.2	36.9	37.5	40.2	40.5
Two or more races	0.1	0.3	0.4	2.0	0.6	0.5	0.9	2.9	0.3	0.3	0.9	2.5	0.3	0.5	0.5	2.3
Unknown	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.9	0.4	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.2
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	2,201	2,157	1,961	1,499
Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated	820	753	554	602

Age (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
<1 year	3.0	2.8	2.9	2.5
1 year	6.5	6.7	6.7	6.5
2 years	6.4	6.3	6.9	8.5
3 years	4.8	6.0	6.2	6.7
4 years	5.0	5.1	5.5	5.2
5 years	4.4	4.3	5.3	4.5
6 years	4.4	4.2	4.3	6.3
7 years	5.1	4.9	4.4	4.5
8 years	6.5	5.7	4.7	3.5
9 years	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.3
10 years	7.7	6.3	5.3	6.5
11 years	6.3	7.7	6.2	5.9
12 years	7.0	6.3	7.9	6.3
13 years	5.8	7.0	6.7	7.9
14 years	7.3	5.7	7.5	6.5
15 years	6.5	7.3	5.9	7.0
16 years	5.0	4.7	4.7	3.3
17 years	1.7	2.4	2.1	1.9
18 years	0.4	0.6	0.8	0.4
19 years	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.2
20+ years	0.1	<.1	0.2	0.2
Missing data	—	—	—	—

Race/Ethnicity (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
Alaska Native/American Indian	0.1	0.1	<.1	<.1
Asian	0.1	<.1	0.0	<.1
Black (non-Hispanic)	63.1	63.0	60.7	61.0
Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander	0.0	0.0	0.0	<.1
Hispanic (of any race)	1.0	1.3	1.5	1.2
White (non-Hispanic)	35.3	35.0	37.3	34.6
Two or more races	0.3	0.4	0.4	2.9
Unknown	0.0	0.0	<.1	<.1
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	378	384	345	280

Age (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
<1 year	2.1	2.9	1.7	1.8
1 year	4.5	6.3	7.0	6.4
2 years	11.9	9.1	9.9	10.7
3 years	9.5	11.2	11.6	13.2
4 years	10.3	6.5	7.8	13.6
5 years	10.8	10.2	8.7	9.6
6 years	5.8	7.3	7.8	5.7
7 years	9.0	5.7	6.7	4.3
8 years	6.3	8.6	7.0	6.4
9 years	7.1	4.9	6.1	5.0
10 years	4.0	5.5	7.0	5.4
11 years	4.2	4.9	6.4	3.9
12 years	5.6	4.7	3.2	6.1
13 years	4.0	3.1	4.1	2.5
14 years	2.9	2.3	2.0	0.7
15 years	0.8	2.6	1.2	2.1
16 years	0.0	2.9	1.4	0.4
17 years	0.5	1.0	0.6	1.4
18 years	0.5	0.3	0.0	0.7
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	0.3	0.5	0.0	0.0
Asian	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.0
Black (non-Hispanic)	63.5	58.3	60.3	51.4
Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Hispanic (of any race)	1.3	1.8	1.7	2.5
White (non-Hispanic)	34.7	39.1	36.2	43.2
Two or more races	0.0	0.3	1.4	2.5
Unknown	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4
Missing data	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

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South Carolina [ 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	—	96.6	96.1	97.1
Children with one or more recurrences	—	3.4	3.9	2.9
Number	—	6,028	5,275	5,463

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	—	0.51	0.46	0.33
Children not maltreated while in foster care	—	99.49	99.54	99.67
Number	—	7,194	7,355	7,314

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	13.2	13.1	10.5	9.1
Guardianship	0.8	1.0	0.9	0.8
Reunification	75.5	73.9	71.2	78.9
Other	10.4	8.9	9.2	11.1
Missing data	<.1	3.1	8.2	0.2
Number	3,137	3,107	3,407	3,256

3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
Adoption	28.3	29.5	20.8	13.2
Guardianship	1.0	0.0	0.6	0.8
Reunification	33.2	36.2	29.8	22.3
Other	37.5	32.9	40.5	63.6
Missing data	0.0	1.4	8.3	0.0
Number	304	210	168	121

3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
Adoption	0.7	0.8	0.4	0.5
Guardianship	0.7	1.4	1.6	0.2
Reunification	71.4	70.6	67.4	72.9
Other	27.1	23.7	21.8	26.1
Missing data	0.1	3.4	8.9	0.2
Number	720	725	831	842

3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
Children age 12 or younger at entry	37.6	35.0	38.8	39.5
Children older than 12 at entry	62.4	65.0	61.2	60.5
Missing data	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Number	271	214	250	311

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	11.1	22.2	0.0	0.0	9.1	0.0	14.3	0.0	15.2	14.5	11.3	10.3
Guardianship	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	11.1	0.0	0.0	0.5	1.0	0.7	0.8
Reunification	77.8	77.8	33.3	77.8	72.7	77.8	71.4	88.9	72.8	72.3	68.5	76.0
Other	11.1	0.0	50.0	22.2	18.2	11.1	14.3	11.1	11.5	9.4	10.4	12.6
Missing data	0.0	0.0	16.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.9	9.1	0.2
Number	9	9	6	9	11	9	7	9	1,702	1,666	1,840	1,422
	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	8.7	9.0	8.1	5.6	11.0	11.8	9.6	8.3
Guardianship	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.2	0.0	1.2	1.1	1.3	0.7
Reunification	100.0	66.7	66.7	0.0	87.0	86.5	80.2	88.0	78.3	75.0	73.7	80.1
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.3	3.4	4.7	6.4	9.4	8.9	8.1	10.7
Missing data	0.0	33.3	33.3	0.0	0.0	1.1	5.8	0.0	0.1	3.3	7.3	0.1
Number	2	3	3	0	69	89	86	125	1,335	1,322	1,420	1,601
	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	12.5	0.0	12.5	17.2	8.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Guardianship	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Reunification	100.0	100.0	100.0	87.5	100.0	87.5	79.3	87.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Missing data	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Number	1	1	16	8	8	8	29	82	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.	81.8	82.1	79.3	81.7
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.	12.4	12.2	12.9	12.7
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.	2.8	3.1	3.7	3.5
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.	0.9	1.1	1.6	1.1
48 or more mos.	1.9	1.2	2.2	0.9
Missing data	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.1
Number	2,370	2,296	2,425	2,568

4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%)	2000	2001	2002	2003
Children entering care for the first time	85.0	84.3	82.9	83.3
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode	6.9	6.5	5.3	7.4
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode	7.9	8.0	8.3	8.7
Missing data	0.2	1.1	3.6	0.6
Number	3,172	3,405	3,537	3,410

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.	3.4	3.4	3.1	3.7
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.	12.6	10.5	12.3	11.5
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.	23.4	23.8	23.0	25.4
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.	18.1	23.3	24.6	24.7
48 or more mos.	42.5	38.5	37.0	34.6
Missing data	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0
Number	414	408	357	295

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	75.9	76.0	77.8	86.5	42.1	37.4	41.7	81.7	28.4	24.0	21.7	82.2	83.3	92.3	86.4	92.9
Children with 3 or more placements	24.1	24.0	22.1	13.0	57.9	62.6	58.3	17.7	71.5	76.0	78.3	17.7	16.7	7.7	4.5	0.0
Number	3,634	3,832	4,030	3,968	1,226	1,282	1,388	1,376	2,797	2,754	2,785	2,792	6	13	22	14

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	3.9	3.4	5.9	0.3
Institutions	13.4	17.0	28.7	20.5
Other settings	82.6	79.5	65.1	79.2
Missing data	<.1	0.1	0.2	0.0
Number	2,346	2,512	2,593	2,454

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South Carolina [ Federal Comment ]

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

The following is a discussion of South Carolina'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, 2.9 percent of the children in South Carolina 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 less than the national median of 7.1 percent, it represents a decline in performance from 2001 to 2003 (-14.7 percent change). (Data for this measure are not available for 2000.)

In 2003, child maltreatment victim rate in South Carolina was 10.9 child victims per 1,000 children in the population, which is about equal to the national median of 10.6 child victims per 1,000 children in the population. This rate did not change from 2000 to 2003.

Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care

In 2003, 0.33 percent of the children in foster care in South Carolina were found to be maltreated by a foster parent or facility staff member (measure 2.1). This percent not only is less than the national median of 0.39 percent, but represents an improvement in performance from 2001 to 2003 (-35.3 percent change).

Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care

In 2003, 88.8 percent of children exiting foster care in South Carolina (measure 3.1) were discharged to a permanent home, which exceeds the national median of 86.3 percent. Also in 2003, 73.6 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 slightly higher than the national median of 72.2 percent. However, only 36.3 percent of children exiting foster care who had a diagnosed disability (measure 3.2) were discharged to a permanent home, which is far less than the national median of 79.5 percent.

In 2003, 39.5 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). This percent not only exceeds the national median of 29.6 percent, but also represents a decline in performance from 2000 (+5.1 percent change).

Some children in South Carolina exit to emancipation prior to their 18th birthday. In 2003, 257 children exiting foster care were age 18 or older at the time of discharge. However, 311 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 (89.1 percent) as were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (87.1 percent). However, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (54.5 percent) exceeded the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's population (35.5 percent).

Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry

In 2003, 81.7 percent of reunifications in South Carolina occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1), which exceeds the national median of 72.0 percent. There was no change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003. Also in 2003, 2.0 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.

With regard to re-entries into foster care, in 2003, 7.4 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2). Although this percent is less than the national median of 9.5 percent, it represents a decline in performance from 2000 (+7.2 percent change). Also in 2003, 8.7 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Consequently, 16.1 percent of all children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time.

Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption

In 2003, 15.2 percent of finalized adoptions in South Carolina occurred within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 5.1). This percent not only is less than the national median of 23.9 percent, but represents a decline in performance from 2000 (-5.0 percent change).

Outcome 6. Increase placement stability

In 2003, 86.5 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. It is difficult to assess performance with regard to placement stability for children in foster care for at least 12 months but less than 24 months because of possible data quality issues.

Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions

In 2003, 20.8 percent of the children entering foster care who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percent not only far exceeds the national median of 8.3 percent, but represents a decline in performance on this measure from 2000 (+20.2 percent change).

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