Virginia
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Virginia [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 1,741,875 | 1,758,978 | 1,781,042 | 1,798,767 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Asian | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 23.1 | 23.2 | 22.7 | 22.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 5.9 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.5 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 64.0 | 64.1 | 64.6 | 64.2 |
| Two or more races | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 |
| % Child population in poverty | 8.3 | 8.4 | 13.8 | 13.5 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 7,416 | 9,873 | 7,571 | 6,485 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 6,789 | 6,866 | 7,109 | 7,046 |
| Children adopted | 448 | 495 | 424 | 487 |
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 | 40,799 | 23.4 per 1,000 | 37,988 | 21.6 per 1,000 | 40,552 | 22.8 per 1,000 | 31,915 | 17.7 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 7,416 | 4.3 per 1,000 | 9,873 | 5.6 per 1,000 | 7,571 | 4.2 per 1,000 | 6,485 | 3.6 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 29 | 1.7 per 100,000 | 36 | 2.1 per 100,000 | 29 | 1.7 per 100,000 | 31 | 1.7 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 | 9.4 | 10.4 | 12.2 | 9.1 |
| 1-5 years | 30.6 | 29.6 | 29.9 | 30.7 |
| 6-10 years | 31.1 | 30.3 | 28.5 | 27.6 |
| 11-15 years | 23.2 | 23.7 | 23.4 | 24.7 |
| 16+ years | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 6.9 |
| Unknown | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| Number | 7,416 | 9,873 | 7,571 | 6,485 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Asian | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 36.7 | 37.3 | 36.9 | 36.8 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 6.5 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 49.7 | 48.6 | 47.8 | 48.3 |
| Two or more races | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Unknown | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| Number | 7,416 | 9,873 | 7,571 | 6,485 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| Medical neglect | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 |
| Neglect | 58.6 | 58.8 | 59.1 | 59.9 |
| Physical abuse | 28.5 | 28.0 | 27.1 | 24.5 |
| Sexual abuse | 11.0 | 12.2 | 13.2 | 16.7 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 7,416 | 9,873 | 7,571 | 6,485 |
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 | 5,870 | 6,055 | 6,139 | 6,152 | 2,738 | 2,904 | 3,274 | 3,351 | 1,826 | 2,096 | 2,307 | 2,459 | 6,789 | 6,866 | 7,109 | 7,046 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 22.9 | 22.2 | 20.8 | 20.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 17.5 | 16.2 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 21.8 | 20.5 | 19.3 | 18.8 |
| 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 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.0 |
| 1 year | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| 2 years | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| 3 years | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| 4 years | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| 5 years | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| 6 years | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
| 7 years | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| 8 years | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| 9 years | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.6 |
| 10 years | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.3 |
| 11 years | 4.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 4.8 |
| 12 years | 5.9 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.6 |
| 13 years | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.8 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 7.4 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| 14 years | 8.6 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 7.9 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 8.9 |
| 15 years | 9.7 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 11.0 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 4.6 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 10.2 | 9.9 |
| 16 years | 10.3 | 10.3 | 11.2 | 12.1 | 6.4 | 8.7 | 9.3 | 8.2 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 9.8 | 10.8 | 11.2 | 11.8 |
| 17 years | 9.6 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 10.8 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 14.5 | 3.8 | 15.5 | 28.5 | 10.2 | 10.1 | 11.3 | 11.7 |
| 18 years | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 17.1 | 24.6 | 9.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 1.3 |
| 19 years | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 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 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 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 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | <.1 |
| Asian | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 53.9 | 51.8 | 50.3 | 48.5 | 39.9 | 40.9 | 40.4 | 38.7 | 45.6 | 44.2 | 43.7 | 43.7 | 50.5 | 49.5 | 47.9 | 45.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 6.3 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 40.3 | 41.5 | 42.2 | 42.9 | 50.3 | 48.2 | 47.4 | 48.7 | 46.9 | 46.6 | 44.9 | 46.5 | 42.5 | 42.8 | 43.7 | 44.4 |
| Two or more races | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 |
| Unknown | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| 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 | 2,132 | 1,946 | 1,489 | 1,572 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 625 | 477 | 54 | 99 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 4.9 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 2.1 |
| 1 year | 6.8 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 5.3 |
| 2 years | 7.7 | 6.8 | 6.2 | 7.2 |
| 3 years | 6.8 | 7.5 | 5.8 | 7.3 |
| 4 years | 6.7 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 5.0 |
| 5 years | 8.0 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 5.5 |
| 6 years | 7.7 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| 7 years | 8.8 | 7.3 | 6.4 | 6.2 |
| 8 years | 7.6 | 8.3 | 7.1 | 6.6 |
| 9 years | 8.3 | 7.1 | 7.9 | 7.4 |
| 10 years | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 8.5 |
| 11 years | 5.6 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 7.1 |
| 12 years | 5.0 | 5.6 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 13 years | 3.9 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 6.4 |
| 14 years | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| 15 years | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| 16 years | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| 17 years | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| 18 years | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | <.1 |
| 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 | <.1 | 0.3 |
| Asian | 0.3 | 0.3 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 53.0 | 54.2 | 53.9 | 51.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 39.4 | 37.4 | 37.3 | 37.8 |
| Two or more races | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 5.1 |
| Unknown | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| 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 | 448 | 495 | 424 | 487 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| 1 year | 4.7 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| 2 years | 7.1 | 10.1 | 7.8 | 8.6 |
| 3 years | 8.5 | 9.5 | 8.0 | 9.9 |
| 4 years | 6.7 | 8.1 | 10.6 | 8.6 |
| 5 years | 9.2 | 7.7 | 9.4 | 8.0 |
| 6 years | 10.5 | 8.7 | 6.8 | 8.8 |
| 7 years | 10.7 | 9.3 | 6.4 | 5.7 |
| 8 years | 6.9 | 5.9 | 7.3 | 6.6 |
| 9 years | 5.6 | 6.9 | 8.3 | 6.0 |
| 10 years | 8.3 | 9.3 | 6.1 | 8.6 |
| 11 years | 4.2 | 4.6 | 8.0 | 4.1 |
| 12 years | 4.9 | 3.6 | 5.7 | 6.0 |
| 13 years | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| 14 years | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 3.1 |
| 15 years | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 3.5 |
| 16 years | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| 17 years | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| 18 years | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 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 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 45.8 | 41.0 | 51.2 | 42.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44.4 | 45.5 | 38.7 | 44.8 |
| Two or more races | 4.0 | 7.9 | 6.1 | 8.0 |
| Unknown | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Virginia [ 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 | — | 98.2 | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | — | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| Number | — | 4,242 | 3,507 | 2,659 |
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 | — | — | 0.29 | 0.22 |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | — | — | 99.71 | 99.78 |
| Number | — | — | 8,883 | 8,900 |
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 | 19.6 | 20.0 | 19.6 | 19.5 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 47.3 | 48.8 | 53.8 | 52.5 |
| Other | 33.1 | 31.2 | 26.6 | 28.1 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 1,826 | 2,096 | 2,307 | 2,459 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 19.0 | 20.5 | 21.4 | 24.8 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 38.9 | 32.5 | 39.3 | 31.8 |
| Other | 42.2 | 47.0 | 39.3 | 43.4 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 453 | 453 | 486 | 553 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 35.3 | 36.7 | 43.6 | 43.2 |
| Other | 64.4 | 62.5 | 55.7 | 56.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 660 | 774 | 795 | 945 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 29.9 | 24.3 | 26.9 | 22.0 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 69.9 | 75.7 | 73.1 | 78.0 |
| Missing data | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 542 | 556 | 510 | 587 |
| 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 | 33.3 | 16.7 | 15.8 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 18.6 | 19.1 | 21.6 | 19.8 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 33.3 | 66.7 | 66.7 | 26.3 | 25.0 | 37.5 | 100.0 | 43.1 | 46.9 | 50.1 | 48.3 |
| Other | 100.0 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 57.9 | 50.0 | 37.5 | 0.0 | 38.3 | 34.0 | 28.2 | 31.9 |
| 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 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 8 | 16 | 4 | 833 | 926 | 1,009 | 1,075 |
| |
||||||||||||
| 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 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 24.2 | 21.9 | 15.2 | 20.3 | 20.6 | 21.3 | 18.5 | 18.5 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 48.4 | 53.3 | 61.4 | 61.8 | 50.1 | 48.4 | 54.6 | 55.0 |
| Other | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 27.4 | 24.8 | 23.4 | 17.9 | 29.3 | 30.3 | 26.8 | 26.5 |
| 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 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 105 | 145 | 123 | 856 | 976 | 1,036 | 1,143 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 38.5 | 0.0 | 10.0 | 8.3 | 7.3 | 13.8 | 17.9 | 29.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 53.8 | 100.0 | 90.0 | 58.3 | 80.5 | 70.8 | 69.2 | 52.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 7.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.3 | 12.2 | 15.4 | 12.8 | 17.9 | 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 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 12 | 41 | 65 | 78 | 95 | 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. | 72.2 | 73.6 | 67.4 | 72.0 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 18.1 | 15.8 | 21.8 | 19.3 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 5.3 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 5.7 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
| 48 or more mos. | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Missing data | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| Number | 864 | 1,022 | 1,241 | 1,290 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 92.1 | 93.0 | 91.0 | 90.3 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 3.9 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
| Missing data | 2.6 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.5 |
| Number | 2,738 | 2,904 | 3,274 | 3,351 |
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. | 3.1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 17.4 | 16.9 | 17.2 | 15.0 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 26.1 | 29.3 | 24.5 | 28.2 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 18.8 | 18.6 | 21.6 | 21.7 |
| 48 or more mos. | 34.2 | 34.3 | 34.7 | 31.9 |
| Missing data | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 357 | 420 | 453 | 479 |
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 | 84.8 | 85.7 | 85.6 | 70.4 | 67.0 | 63.7 | 62.3 | 69.8 | 59.5 | 52.3 | 47.2 | 60.0 | 50.0 | 84.0 | 83.3 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 13.0 | 14.4 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 29.2 | 32.4 | 36.0 | 37.6 | 29.8 | 40.2 | 47.5 | 52.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 2,947 | 3,205 | 3,549 | 3,718 | 1,717 | 1,800 | 1,909 | 1,971 | 3,940 | 3,950 | 3,930 | 3,808 | 5 | 4 | 25 | 6 |
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 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
| Institutions | 5.4 | 5.8 | 7.6 | 6.7 |
| Other settings | 93.1 | 93.4 | 91.2 | 92.2 |
| Missing data | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Number | 1,712 | 1,768 | 1,883 | 1,983 |
Virginia [ State Comment ]
Vickie Johnson-Scott, Director
Division of Family Services
Department of Social Services
The following are Virginia's comments on the State's data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Section C (Children in Foster Care): There is an inconsistency between the number of children in foster care as of 9/30/02 and 10/01/02. Virginia has identified the problems with our Online Automated Services Information System (OASIS) that resulted in children being dropped between data submissions and is in the process of modifying the system to ensure this does not continue to be a problem. Starting with our October, 2005 - March, 2006 submission there will be no "missing children."
Section D (Children Waiting to be Adopted): The percentage of children waiting to be adopted who had not had termination of parental rights, as reported to AFCARS, was only 6 percent. We have determined that Virginia has historically misinterpreted the AFCARS requirement for Elements 47 and 48. These fields were included in the AFCARS submission only if Element 58 indicates "adoption." We intend to have the coding resulting from this misinterpretation corrected in time for our April, 2005 - September, 2005 AFCARS submission.
Outcome measures 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3: The percentage of children exiting foster care to "someplace other than a permanent family" is higher than the national median. Six hundred and ninety (690) cases or 28 percent of all cases in care in 2003 exited foster care to something other than reunification, guardianship or adoption. This number reflects children who are emancipated, on run-away status, whose custody was transferred to juvenile justice, or who died. For some of these discharge reasons, the numbers are high because of incorrect data entry at the local department level. For example, 49 cases are "reunification" and should have been entered under that discharge reason. Similarly, 5 are adoption and should have been entered under that category. Ten children show "no goal." Ninety cases exited to Permanent Foster Care which is considered a permanent family by Virginia but does not have a counterpart in the federal permanency language.
Virginia appreciates the technical assistance that has been and continues to be offered to address information system issues. We are committed to improving the accuracy of the data in OASIS and in our AFCARS submissions.
Virginia [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of Virginia'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, 2.1 percent of the children in Virginia 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 on this measure from 2001 to 2003 (+16.7 percent change). (Data for this measure for 2000 are not available.)
Virginia's low percentage of children experiencing maltreatment recurrence in 2003 corresponds to a low child maltreatment victim rate in the State. In 2003, the child maltreatment victim rate in Virginia was 3.6 child victims per 1,000 children in the State population, which is less than the national median of 10.6 child victims per 1,000 children in the population. The rate did not change from 2000 to 2003.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In 2003, 0.22 percent of the children in foster care were found to be maltreated by foster parents or facility staff members, which is less than the national median of 0.39 percent (measure 2.1). Change in performance on this measure over time cannot be assessed because data were not available for this measure until 2002.
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 72.0 percent of children exiting foster care in Virginia (measure 3.1) were discharged to a permanent home, which is less than the national median of 86.3 percent. Also in 2003, 56.6 percent of the children exiting foster 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. Similarly, only 43.7 percent of the children exiting foster care in 2003 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.
In 2003, 22.0 percent of the children reported as emancipated from foster care entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). This percent not only is less than the national median of 29.6 percent, but also represents an improvement in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003 (-26.4 percent change).
In Virginia, most children who are reported as emancipated from foster care were discharged from foster care prior to their 18th birthday. In 2003, for example, only 25 children exiting foster care were age 18 or older at the time of exit. However, 587 children were reported as exiting to emancipation.
There were differences in Virginia 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 more likely to be discharged to a permanent home (73.5 percent) than were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (68.1 percent). In addition, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (45.5 percent) was more than twice the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's child population (22.5 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, 72.0 percent of reunifications in Virginia occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1), which is equal to the national median. Performance on this measure did not change from 2000 to 2003. In addition, only 2.9 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, 5.2 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 on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+35.9 percent change). However, only 2.9 percent of the children entering foster care were entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Consequently, only 8.2 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, 18.1 percent of finalized adoptions in Virginia 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 also represents a decline in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003 (-11.7 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 85.6 percent of the children in foster care for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings, which exceeds the national median of 84.2 percent (measure 6.1). Also in 2003, 62.3 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 exceeds the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 7.4 percent of the children entering foster care who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). Although this is less than the national median of 8.3 percent, it represents a decline in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+23.3 percent change).
