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Trends in child protection and out-of-home care
Anne-Marie Conn1, Moira A Szilagyi, Todd M Franke
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 777, Rochester, NY 14642. anne-Marie_conn@urmc.rochester.edu.
Insights
Fewer child abuse cases were substantiated from 2000-2010, leading to fewer children in out-of-home (OOH) care. However, the OOH population became more complex, with more children experiencing trauma and emotional disturbance.
Area of Science:
- Child Welfare
- Pediatric Health
- Social Work
Background:
- Child abuse and trauma knowledge has evolved, influencing child welfare policy and practice.
- Little is known about recent national trends in child maltreatment and out-of-home (OOH) care.
- This study addresses the need to understand current trends in child maltreatment and OOH care populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine national trends in child maltreatment from 2000 to 2010.
- To characterize the population of children in out-of-home (OOH) care during this period.
- To identify changes in the reasons for OOH placement and the characteristics of children within the system.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two federal administrative databases: National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System.
- Characterization of US children experiencing maltreatment.
- Assessment of trends in children entering out-of-home (OOH) care between 2000 and 2010.
Main Results:
- Suspected child maltreatment cases increased by 17%, while substantiated cases decreased by 7%.
- The number of children in out-of-home (OOH) care declined by 25%.
- Despite overall decrease, maltreatment-related OOH entries rose 19%, multiple maltreatment types increased 36%, and emotionally disturbed children in OOH care rose 60%.
Conclusions:
- Fewer child maltreatment cases were substantiated despite increased investigations between 2000 and 2010.
- The out-of-home (OOH) care population has decreased but become more complex.
- Children in OOH care increasingly present with significant prior trauma and emotional disturbances.
Background:
Over the past decades, increased knowledge about childhood abuse and trauma have prompted changes in child welfare policy, and practice that may have affected the out-of-home (OOH) care population. However, little is known about recent national trends in child maltreatment, OOH placement, or characteristics of children in OOH care. The objective of this study was to examine trends in child maltreatment and characteristics of children in OOH care.
Methods:
We analyzed 2 federal administrative databases to identify and characterize US children who were maltreated (National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System) or in OOH care (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System). We assessed trends between 2000 and 2010.
Results:
The number of suspected maltreatment cases increased 17% from 2000 to 2010, yet the number of substantiated cases decreased 7% and the number of children in OOH care decreased 25%. Despite the decrease in OOH placements, we found a 19% increase in the number of children who entered OOH care because of maltreatment (vs other causes), a 36% increase in the number of children with multiple (vs single) types of maltreatment, and a 60% increase in the number of children in OOH care identified as emotionally disturbed.
Conclusions:
From 2000 to 2010, fewer suspected cases of maltreatment were substantiated, despite increased investigations, and fewer maltreated children were placed in OOH care. These changes may have led to a smaller but more complex OOH care population with substantial previous trauma and emotional problems.
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