State Data Pages
North Carolina
Context Data
A. Key Context Statistics
GENERAL POPULATION IN 1997 |
|
Total children under 18 yrs |
1,873,403 |
• Alaska Native/American Indian |
2% |
• Asian/Pacific Islander |
1% |
• Black |
27% |
• Hispanic |
3% |
• White |
67% |
Child population in poverty |
16% |
Child population living in metropolitan areas |
75% |
CHILD WELFARE |
|
Child maltreatment victims during 1997 |
33,347 |
Children in foster care on 9/30/98 |
11,314 |
Children adopted during FY 1998 |
882 |
B. Child Maltreatment Data
(NCANDS SDC, 1997)
OVERVIEW |
Count |
Rate |
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment |
104,950 |
56 per 1,000 |
Child maltreatment victims (1) |
33,347 |
18 per 1,000 |
Child fatalities |
36 |
1.9 per 100,000 |
AGE |
Under |
1-5 Yrs |
6-10 Yrs |
11-15 Yrs |
16+ Yrs |
Unknown |
Total |
Number |
Child victims |
7% |
36% |
29% |
19% |
8% |
0% |
99% |
33,347 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Other |
Unable to Determine/Missing |
Total (2) |
Number |
Child victims |
3% |
1% |
38% |
9% |
50% |
0% |
9% |
110% |
33,347 |
MALTREATMENT TYPE |
Emotional
|
Medical Neglect |
Neglect
|
Physical Abuse |
Sexual Abuse |
Other
|
Unknown
|
Total (3) |
Number
|
Child victims |
1% |
2% |
87% |
4% |
4% |
2% |
0% |
100% |
33,347 |
(1) Children with
more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may
be counted more than once.
(2) Percentages may total more than 100 percent because Hispanics
may be counted both by Hispanic ethnicity and by race.
(3) Percentages may total more than 100 percent because children
could have been victims of more than one type of
maltreatment.
C. Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)
OVERVIEW |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
Entered Care (FY 1998) |
Exited Care (FY 1998) |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
Total Served |
Children |
9,843 |
5,464 |
3,993 |
11,314 |
15,307 |
Median length of stay (months) |
16.1 |
N/A |
13.4 |
16.3 |
N/A |
AGE |
Under 1
Yr
|
1-5 Yrs |
6-10 Yrs |
11-15 Yrs |
16-18 Yrs |
19 + Yrs |
Missing |
Total |
Number |
In care on 10/1/97 |
5%
|
28% |
27% |
29% |
11% |
0% |
0% |
100% |
9,843 |
Entered care (FY 1998) |
15%
|
29% |
24% |
28% |
5% |
0% |
0% |
101% |
5,464 |
Exited care (FY 1998) |
4%
|
30% |
25% |
22% |
18% |
1% |
0% |
100% |
3,993 |
In care on 9/30/98 |
5%
|
28% |
26% |
29% |
12% |
1% |
0% |
101% |
11,314 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine /Missing |
Total |
Number |
In care on 10/1 /97 |
2% |
0% |
54% |
5% |
39% |
0% |
100% |
9,843 |
Entered care (FY 1998) |
2% |
1% |
44% |
8% |
45% |
0% |
100% |
5,464 |
Exited care (FY 1998) |
3% |
1% |
45% |
6% |
44% |
1% |
100% |
3,993 |
In care on 9/30/98 |
1% |
0% |
52% |
6% |
40% |
0% |
99% |
11,314 |
D. Children Waiting to be Adopted on 9/30/1998 (4)
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)
OVERVIEW |
|
Children waiting to be adopted |
4,298 |
• Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) |
2,486 |
AGE |
Under |
1-5 Yrs |
6-10 Yrs |
11-15 Yrs |
16-17 Yrs |
Missing |
Total |
Number |
Waiting children |
5% |
35% |
33% |
22% |
4% |
0% |
99% |
4,298 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine /Missing |
Total |
Number |
Waiting children |
1% |
0% |
54% |
5% |
39% |
1% |
100% |
4,298 |
(4) Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parental rights have been terminated. Children 16 years and older with TPR, but with a goal of emancipation have been excluded from the waiting children and TPR populations.
E. Children Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Adoption Database, FY
1998)
AGE |
Under 1 Yr |
1-5 Yrs |
6-10 Yrs |
11-15 Yrs |
16+ Yrs |
Missing |
Total |
Number |
Children |
4% |
44% |
33% |
16% |
2% |
0% |
99% |
882 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine /Unknown |
Total |
Number |
Children |
1% |
1% |
54% |
3% |
40% |
1% |
100% |
882 |
North Carolina Outcomes
Data
1. Reduce Recurrence
of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS, DCDC
1997)
1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment |
|
Children without a recurrence within 12 months |
- |
Children with one or more recurrences within 12 months |
-
|
Total |
- |
Number |
- |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster
Care
| 2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care | |
Children maltreated while in foster care |
To be reported in 2001
|
Children not maltreated while in foster care |
To be reported in 2001 |
Total |
To be reported in 2001 |
Number |
To be reported in 2001
|
3. Increase
Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster
Care Database, FY 1998)
3.1 Exits from Foster Care |
|
Adoption |
17% |
Guardianship |
10% |
Reunification |
63% |
Other |
10% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
3,993 |
3.2 Exits of Disabled Children |
|
Adoption |
28% |
Guardianship |
10% |
Reunification |
47% |
Other |
15% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
642 |
3.3 Exits of Children Age 12 or Older at Entry |
|
Adoption |
3% |
Guardianship |
8% |
Reunification |
66% |
Other |
23% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
1,155 |
3.4 Exits by Race/Ethnicity |
Alaska Native/ A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black
|
Hispanic |
White
|
Unable to Determine |
Missing |
Adoption |
9% |
5% |
19% |
11% |
16% |
14% |
0% |
Guardianship |
20% |
10% |
13% |
9% |
7% |
9% |
0% |
Reunification |
67% |
67% |
58% |
71% |
66% |
59% |
0% |
Other |
4% |
19% |
10% |
10% |
10% |
18% |
0% |
Missing |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
Total |
100% |
101% |
100% |
101% |
99% |
100% |
0% |
Number |
109 |
21 |
1,813 |
252 |
1,776 |
22 |
0 |
3.5 Exits to Emancipation |
|
Children age 12 or younger at entry |
27% |
Children older than 12 at entry |
73% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
256 |
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)
4.1 Time to Reunification |
|
Less than 12 months |
57% |
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months |
25% |
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months |
9% |
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months |
4% |
48 or more months |
5% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
2,503 |
|
4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care in FY 1998 |
|
Children entering care for the first time |
97% |
Children re-entering care within 12 months of a prior episode |
1% |
Children re-entering care more than 12 months after a prior episode |
2% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
5,464 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster
Care Database, FY 1998)
5.1 Time to Adoption |
|
Less than 12 months |
15% |
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months |
22% |
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months |
21% |
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months |
16% |
48 or more months |
26% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
682 |
5.2 Time to Adoption for Children Age 3 or Older at Entry |
|
Less than 12 months |
19% |
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months |
19% |
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months |
19% |
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months |
18% |
48 or more months |
24% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
99% |
Number |
318 |
6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster
Care Database, FY 1998)
6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care |
Less than 12 mos. |
At least 12 mos., but < 24 |
At least 24 mos., but < 36 |
At least 36 mos., but < 48 |
48 or more mos. |
Missing |
Children with 2 or fewer placements |
59% |
47% |
41% |
41% |
36% |
88% |
Children with 3 or more placements |
41% |
53% |
59% |
59% |
64% |
12% |
Missing |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
Number |
6,263 |
3,631 |
1,894 |
1,188 |
2,306 |
25 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or
Institutions
(AFCARS Annual Foster
Care Database, FY 1998)
7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During FY 1998 and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement |
|
Group homes |
3% |
Institutions |
3% |
Other settings |
94% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
4,096 |
North Carolina State Comments
Charles C. Harris,
Chief
Children's Services Section, Division of Social Services
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
(919)
733-3055
Regarding the children reported to Child Protective Services, North Carolina reports each incident of maltreatment so that children with more than one incident are counted more than once in these data.
Of the 36 child fatalities in the State during 1997, 13 of the children had previously been reported to Child Protective Services.
Regarding the statistic that 87 percent of child victims are victims of neglect, readers should understand that the State has a very broad statutory definition of neglect.
Regarding the median length of stay for children in foster care, the Annual Report data are based on point-in-time data. The State's longitudinal analyses that track cohorts of children entering foster care each year indicate a declining median length of stay for foster children in North Carolina.
Regarding the number of children waiting to be adopted, State data indicate that there were 3,023 children waiting on September 30, 1998.
Regarding the missing data on recurrence of maltreatment, these data are omitted from the Annual Report pending clarification from the State on identification numbers. State data indicate that 10 percent of victim children experience a second maltreatment event.
