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Washington Context
Data
A. Key Context Statistics
GENERAL POPULATION IN 1997 |
|
Total children under 18 yrs |
1,454,654 |
• Alaska Native/American Indian |
2% |
• Asian/Pacific Islander |
6% |
• Black |
4% |
• Hispanic |
9% |
• White |
79% |
Child population in poverty |
14% |
Child population living in metropolitan areas |
72% |
CHILD WELFARE |
|
Child maltreatment victims during 1997 |
12,014 |
Children in foster care on 9/30/98 |
8,980 |
Children adopted during FY 1998 |
854 |
B. Child Maltreatment Data
(NCANDS SDC, 1997)
OVERVIEW |
Count |
Rate |
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment |
38,200 |
26 per 1,000 |
Child maltreatment victims (1) |
12,014 |
8 per 1,000 |
Child fatalities |
9 |
0.6 per 100,000 |
AGE |
Under |
1-5 Yrs |
6-10 Yrs |
11-15 Yrs |
16+ Yrs |
Unknown |
Total |
Number |
Child victims |
5% |
33% |
32% |
21% |
6% |
4% |
101% |
12,014 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Other |
Unable to Determine/Missing |
Total (2) |
Number |
Child victims |
6% |
3% |
10% |
9% |
71% |
9% |
0% |
108% |
12,014 |
MALTREATMENT TYPE |
Emotional
|
Medical Neglect |
Neglect
|
Physical Abuse |
Sexual Abuse |
Other
|
Unknown
|
Total (3) |
Number
|
Child victims |
7% |
4% |
52% |
28% |
10% |
4% |
0% |
105% |
12,014 |
(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 |
8,297 |
7,243 |
6,560 |
8,980 |
15,540 |
Median length of stay (months) |
19.3 |
N/A |
2.0 |
17.0 |
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%
|
33% |
26% |
23% |
12% |
1% |
0% |
100% |
8,297 |
Entered care (FY 1998) |
12%
|
24% |
21% |
32% |
11% |
0% |
0% |
100% |
7,243 |
Exited care (FY 1998) |
4%
|
25% |
21% |
31% |
18% |
1% |
0% |
100% |
6,560 |
In care on 9/30/98 |
6%
|
32% |
27% |
24% |
11% |
0% |
0% |
100% |
8,980 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine /Missing |
Total |
Number |
In care on 10/1 /97 |
10% |
2% |
19% |
6% |
63% |
0% |
100% |
8,297 |
Entered care (FY 1998) |
9% |
2% |
14% |
8% |
66% |
0% |
99% |
7,243 |
Exited care (FY 1998) |
8% |
3% |
14% |
8% |
66% |
1% |
100% |
6,560 |
In care on 9/30/98 |
10% |
2% |
18% |
7% |
63% |
0% |
100% |
8,980 |
D. Children Waiting to be Adopted on 9/30/1998 (4)
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)
OVERVIEW |
|
Children waiting to be adopted |
3,173 |
• Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) |
2,764 |
AGE |
Under |
1-5 Yrs |
6-10 Yrs |
11-15 Yrs |
16-17 Yrs |
Missing |
Total |
Number |
Waiting children |
6% |
44% |
32% |
14% |
3% |
0% |
99% |
3,173 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine /Missing |
Total |
Number |
Waiting children |
6% |
1% |
20% |
7% |
65% |
0% |
99% |
3,173 |
(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 |
1% |
56% |
34% |
8% |
1% |
0% |
100% |
854 |
RACE/ETHNICITY |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine /Unknown |
Total |
Number |
Children |
5% |
1% |
17% |
7% |
69% |
1% |
100% |
854 |
Washington 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 |
13% |
Guardianship |
7% |
Reunification |
71% |
Other |
9% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
6,560 |
3.2 Exits of Disabled Children |
|
Adoption |
- |
Guardianship |
- |
Reunification |
- |
Other |
- |
Missing |
- |
Total |
- |
Number |
- |
3.3 Exits of Children Age 12 or Older at Entry |
|
Adoption |
0% |
Guardianship |
3% |
Reunification |
83% |
Other |
14% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
2,681 |
3.4 Exits by Race/Ethnicity |
Alaska Native/ A.I. |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black
|
Hispanic |
White
|
Unable to Determine |
Missing |
Adoption |
8% |
8% |
16% |
12% |
13% |
14% |
0% |
Guardianship |
11% |
4% |
12% |
7% |
6% |
11% |
0% |
Reunification |
69% |
80% |
64% |
76% |
71% |
69% |
0% |
Other |
12% |
8% |
8% |
4% |
9% |
6% |
0% |
Missing |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
99% |
99% |
100% |
0% |
Number |
555 |
167 |
941 |
539 |
4,322 |
36 |
0 |
3.5 Exits to Emancipation |
|
Children age 12 or younger at entry |
31% |
Children older than 12 at entry |
69% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
395 |
4.1 Time to Reunification |
|
Less than 12 months |
81% |
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months |
7% |
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months |
3% |
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months |
2% |
48 or more months |
2% |
Missing |
6% |
Total |
101% |
Number |
4,639 |
|
4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care in FY 1998 |
|
Children entering care for the first time |
70% |
Children re-entering care within 12 months of a prior episode |
17% |
Children re-entering care more than 12 months after a prior episode |
11% |
Missing |
2% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
7,243 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster
Care Database, FY 1998)
5.1 Time to Adoption |
|
Less than 12 months |
2% |
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months |
17% |
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months |
24% |
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months |
25% |
48 or more months |
32% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
855 |
5.2 Time to Adoption for Children Age 3 or Older at Entry |
|
Less than 12 months |
1% |
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months |
9% |
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months |
21% |
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months |
30% |
48 or more months |
40% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
101% |
Number |
280 |
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 |
81% |
56% |
47% |
35% |
33% |
95% |
Children with 3 or more placements |
18% |
44% |
53% |
65% |
66% |
5% |
Missing |
1% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
Number |
7,383 |
2,757 |
1,751 |
1,260 |
2,061 |
328 |
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 |
1% |
Institutions |
2% |
Other settings |
97% |
Missing |
0% |
Total |
100% |
Number |
3,748 |
Washington State Comments
Rosalyn Oreskovich, MSW,
Assistant Secretary
Children's Administration, Washington Department of Social and
Health Services
(360)
902-7820
Washington State has focused efforts on achieving permanency for children in out-of-home care. We nearly doubled the number of adoptions completed from 1996 to 1998, and we increased the number of guardianships finalized by 27 percent, from 400 in CY 1997 to 508 in CY 1998. We also focused on achieving permanency for children in the shortest time possible. Ninety percent of the children who were returned home last year were reunified within 15 months of their placement, and 25 percent of the guardianship placements were finalized within 15 months of placement. From 1997 to 1998, we reduced by 2 percent the children who remained in care longer than 2 years.
The Governor and legislature of Washington State are committed to managing by outcomes, and we have been tracking performance on select outcomes for several years. While this report provides a starting point to evaluate our performance in comparison to other States, unique characteristics of Washington's child welfare system make comparison to other States difficult. Because the scope of this report does not permit clarification of laws and policies that may influence the data, some of the data presented may be misleading.
Washington reports placements of all children entering out-of-home care, including children placed by police for less than 72 hours, placements with unpaid relatives, and voluntary placements. For this reason, approximately 40 percent of the children placed into care return home within 30 days. Washington's inclusion of these short-term placements affects our placement and re-entry rates, and makes comparisons of our data with other States difficult.
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