Home > Statistics & Research > Child Welfare Outcomes 1998: Summary

1998 Annual Summary of State Child Summary Context Data

A. Key Context Statistics

General Population in 1997
Total children under 18 yrs	41,516,560
• Alaska Native/American Indian	1%
• Asian/Pacific Islander	3%
• Black	17%
• Hispanic	13%
• White	66%
Child population in poverty	19%
Child population living in metropolitan areas	79%
Child Welfare
Child maltreatment victims during 1997 (N=27 States)	485,870
Children in foster care on 9/30/98 (N=30 States)	306,940
Children adopted during FY 1998 (N=30 States)	23,523

B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS SDC, 1997)

Overview	Count	Rate
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment (N=26 States)	1,528,140	39 per 1,000
Child maltreatment victims (1) (N=27 States)	485,870	12 per 1,000
Child fatalities (N=27 States)	742	1.8 per 100,000

Age (N=25 States)	Under	1-5 Yrs	6-10 Yrs	11-15 Yrs	16+ Yrs	Unknown	Total	Number
Child victims	7%	31%	30%	23%	6%	3%	100%	408,529

Race/Ethnicity (N=24 States)	Alaska Native/A.I.	Asian/Pacific Islander	Black	Hispanic	White	Other	Unable to Determine/Missing	Total (2)	Number
Child victims	2%	1%	29%	8%	58%	2%	8%	108%	402,838

Maltreatment Type (N=25 States)	Emotional	Medical Neglect	Neglect	Physical Abuse	Sexual Abuse	Other	Unknown	Total (3)	Number
Child victims	4%	3%	56%	20%	12%	19%	0%	114%	408,761

(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 (N=30 States)	In Care on 10/1/97	Entered Care (FY 1998)	Exited Care (FY 1998)	In Care on 9/30/98	Total Served
Children	284,160	153,168	130,696	306,940	437,328
Median length of stay (months)	24.0	N/A	10.8	22.2	N/A

Age (N=30 States)	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	4%	27%	27%	27%	13%	2%	0%	100%	284,160
Entered care (FY 1998)	13%	25%	21%	30%	11%	0%	0%	100%	153,168
Exited care (FY 1998)	4%	25%	23%	26%	20%	3%	0%	101%	130,696
In care on 9/30/98	4%	26%	27%	27%	14%	2%	0%	100%	306,940

Race/Ethnicity (N=30 States)	Alaska Native/A.I.	Asian/Pacific Islander	Black	Hispanic	White	Unable to Determine /Missing	Total	Number
In care on 10/1/97	2%	1%	51%	8%	33%	6%	101%	284,160
Entered care (FY 1998)	3%	2%	33%	9%	47%	6%	100%	153,168
Exited care (FY 1998)	3%	2%	37%	8%	45%	6%	101%	130,696
In care on 9/30/98	2%	1%	48%	9%	35%	6%	101%	306,940

D. Children Waiting to be Adopted on 9/30/1998 (4)
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)

Overview
Children waiting to be adopted (N=30 States)	91,745
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) (N=29 States)	43,845

Age (N=30 States)	Under 1 Yr	1-5 Yrs	6-10 Yrs	11-15 Yrs	16-17 Yrs	Missing	Total	Number
Waiting children	3%	34%	37%	23%	3%	1%	101%	91,745

Race/Ethnicity (N=30 States)	Alaska Native/A.I.	Asian/Pacific Islander	Black	Hispanic	White	Unable to Determine /Missing	Total	Number
Waiting children	1%	1%	55%	9%	27%	6%	99%	91,745

(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 (N=30 States)	Under 1 Yr	1-5 Yrs	6-10 Yrs	11-15 Yrs	16+ Yrs	Missing	Total	Number
Children	1%	42%	38%	16%	2%	0%	99%	23,523

Race/Ethnicity (N=30 States)	Alaska Native/A.I.	Asian/Pacific Islander	Black	Hispanic	White	Unable to Determine /Unknown	Total	Number
Children	1%	1%	49%	9%	33%	6%	99%	23,523

 

Summary Outcomes Data

1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS, DCDC 1997)

1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment (N=12 States)
Children without a recurrence within 12 months	89%
Children with one or more recurrences within 12 months	11%
Total	100%
Number	160,745

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 (N=30 States)
Adoption	14%
Guardianship	2%
Reunification	66%
Other	11%
Missing	6%
Total	99%
Number	130,696

3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (N=27 States)
Adoption	17%
Guardianship	2%
Reunification	56%
Other	16%
Missing	9%
Total	100%
Number	18,166

3.3 Exits of Children Age 12 or Older at Entry (N=30 States)
Adoption	1%
Guardianship	1%
Reunification	68%
Other	22%
Missing	8%
Total	100%
Number	47,699

3.4 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (N=30 States)	Alaska Native/ A.I.	Asian/Pacific Islander	Black	Hispanic	White	Unable to Determine	Missing
Adoption	6%	16%	19%	14%	11%	16%	1%
Guardianship	4%	3%	1%	1%	2%	1%	0%
Reunification	72%	68%	60%	67%	70%	67%	67%
Other	9%	12%	11%	12%	11%	11%	5%
Missing	9%	1%	8%	6%	6%	5%	27%
Total	100%	100%	99%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Number	3,919	2,039	47,899	10,794	58,248	7,695	102

3.5 Exits to Emancipation (N=30 States)
Children age 12 or younger at entry	35%
Children older than 12 at entry	65%
Missing	0%
Total	100%
Number	7,725

4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)

4.1 Time to Reunification (N=30 States)
Less than 12 months	65%
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months	16%
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months	7%
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months	4%
48 or more months	6%
Missing	2%
Total	100%
Number	86,586

4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care in FY 1998 (N=30 States)
Children entering care for the first time	78%
Children re-entering care within 12 months of a prior episode	10%
Children re-entering care more than 12 months after a prior episode	7%
Missing	5%
Total	100%
Number	153,168

5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)

5.1 Time to Adoption (N=30 States)
Less than 12 months	5%
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months	11%
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months	16%
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months	19%
48 or more months	49%
Missing	0%
Total	100%
Number	18,858

5.2 Time to Adoption for Children Age 3 or Older at Entry (N=30 States)
Less than 12 months	8%
At least 12 months, but less than 24 months	10%
At least 24 months, but less than 36 months	15%
At least 36 months, but less than 48 months	19%
48 or more months	47%
Missing	0%
Total	99%
Number	6,965

6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database, FY 1998)

6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (N=30 States)	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%	60%	52%	48%	39%	93%
Children with 3 or more placements	18%	40%	47%	52%	61%	3%
Missing	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	4%
Total	99%	100%	99%	100%	100%	100%
Number	131,355	57,715	38,671	29,828	69,591	2,063

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 (N=30 States)
Group homes	5%
Institutions	6%
Other settings	88%
Missing	1%
Total	100%
Number	87,401

Return to IV. Key Findings and Implications

Return to Table of Contents