2008 Neglect/Abuse Sources

An estimated 899,000 children were neglected or abused in 2005, the most recent year for which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has data. Of these, the vast majority - 63 percent - suffered neglect, 17 percent were physically abused, 9 percent were sexually abused, 7 percent were emotionally or psychologically maltreated, and 2 percent experienced medical neglect. Also, 14 percent of the victims experienced additional maltreatment, such as abandonment, threats of harm or being born with a drug addiction.

Roughly 513,000 of these youngsters were removed from their homes and placed in state-supervised care that year.

If you don't find what you need on this page, you may visit these pages for a longer list of sources

Dependency Courts
Foster Care/Child Welfare
Neglect/Abuse

 New CDC research, released in April 2008 and the first published national analysis of substantiated nonfatal maltreatment of infants, finds that the risk for non-fatal maltreatment in the first year of life is greatest during the first week following birth. In fiscal year 2006, a total of 91,278 infants aged <1 year experienced nonfatal maltreatment, including 29,881 (32.7%) who were aged <1 week.

An estimated 14 percent of U.S. children have experienced some form of child maltreatment, the journal Child Maltreatment reported in February 2005. Emotional abuse - through rejection, threat, shaming and more - affected 75 percent of these children.

Women (mostly mothers) are the most common perpetrators of maltreatment. State data suggest women are perpetrators in 58 percent of cases, while men are the perpetrators in 42 percent of cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

The federal government's Administration for Children and Families provides state-by-state statistics on confirmed cases of child maltreatment, with breakouts for neglect, physical or sexual abuse and psychological maltreatment.

GENERAL CHILD WELFARE SOURCES

Government Sources

Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; www.acf.hhs.gov
ACF oversees public foster care and other federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals and communities.
Contact: 202.401.9215; officeofpublicaffairs@acf.hhs.gov
Its Children's Bureau monitors state public welfare services through several efforts, including:

Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System; http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/
afcars/tar/report13.htm
AFCARS reports provide statistics on children in the public welfare system, including total population, demographics, time spent in care and much more. The most recent data are for fiscal year 2005.
- Child and Family Service Reviews
Since 2001, the reviews evaluate each state's performance in meeting goals for the safety, permanency and well-being of children in state-supervised care during a specific period.

Child Welfare Information Gateway; http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/statistics/
adoption.cfm#gen
A service of ACF's Children's Bureau, the gateway aggregates information on child welfare, child neglect and abuse, adoption, search and reunion, and more. The site offers data and statistics, backgrounders, links to related organizations and contact information. Its National Foster Care & Adoption Directory offers adoption and foster care resources by state.
Contact: Sandi McLeod, senior child welfare specialist; smcleod@childwelfare.gov

Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives; http://waysandmeans.house.gov/about.asp?section=54&comm=2 Its Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support has jurisdiction over child and family services, foster care and adoption, among other things.
Contact: Ways and Means, 202.225.3625

Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate;
http://www.senate.gov/~finance/
Its Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy oversees policy and programs involving child and family services, foster care and adoption.
Contact: Finance, 202.224.4515

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics;
www.ChildStats.gov
A collaboration of federal agencies and departments, the forum fosters coordination in collecting and reporting federal statistics on family and social environment, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, economic circumstances, health and health care. Such data are compiled in the annual report, "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being," released each July. The 2007 data is available. http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/index.asp
Contact: Shara Godiwalla, forum director, 301.458.4256; sgodiwalla@cdc.gov. Or, reach agency representatives via http://www.childstats.gov/topiccontacts.asp

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare; http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/index.asp
Part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the center addresses cross-system issues involving child welfare, substance abuse, dependency courts and tribal and family judicial systems. It collects and disseminates analysis and research to help child welfare and other professionals improve their services and policies.
Contact: Kay Springer, media team leader, 240.276.2141; kay.springer@samhsa.hhs.gov

Other Sources

ABA Center on Children and the Law;
http://www.abanet.org/child/home.html
A program of the American Bar Association, it aims to improve children's lives through advances in law, justice, knowledge, practice and public policy. Its areas of expertise include child abuse and neglect, child welfare and protective services system enhancement, foster care, family preservation, termination of parental rights, parental substance abuse, adolescent health and domestic violence.
Contact: 202.662.1720; ctrchildlaw@abanet.org

American Public Human Services Association;
http://www.aphsa.org
The nonprofit organization represents state and local human service agencies and individuals who work in or are interested in these programs. It strives to develop and promote policies and practices that improve the health and well-being of families, children and adults. Its focus includes child welfare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, child care, child support, Medicaid, food stamps and other program areas affecting families, the elderly and people who are economically disadvantaged.
Contact: Frank Solomon, communications director, 202.682.0100, Ext. 285; fsolomon@aphsa.org

Annie E. Casey Foundation; www.aecf.org
The nonprofit foundation, based in Baltimore, aims to foster public policies, human-service reforms and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families. Its Kids Count Data Center http://www.kidscount.org/datacenter/ , an outgrowth of the child well-being report it releases each summer, contains state- and city-level data for over 100 measures of child well-being, including health.
Contact: Laura Beavers, research associate, 410.223.2975; lbeavers@aecf.org

Brookings Institution; http://www.brookings.edu/
The think tank supports a wide scope of research. Its Metropolitan Policy Program provides information on changing economics and demographics. Its Center on Children and Families examines policies affecting the well-being of U.S. children and their parents, especially children in less advantaged families. It co-publishes the journal Future of Children, which in fall 2007 focused on "The Next Generation of Antipoverty Policies."
Contact: Communications office, 202.797.6105; communications@brookings.edu

Center for Law and Social Policy; www.clasp.org
The national nonprofit works to improve the economic security, educational and workforce prospects and family stability of low-income parents and children. It offers reports, policy briefs and fact sheets on child welfare.
Contact: Cyra Master, 202.906.8027; cmaster@clasp.org

Child Trends Inc.; www.childtrends.org
The nonprofit organization provides data-driven, evidence-based guidance on child policy and practice, and it tracks trends and identifies emerging issues. Child welfare - including maltreatment, foster care and adoption - is among its 13 areas of study. Child Trends' data bank offers fact sheets, reports and statistics.
Contact: David Carrier, outreach director, 202.572.6138; DCarrier@childtrends.org

Child Welfare League of America; www.cwla.org
The association represents nearly 800 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist more than 3.5 million neglected and abused children and their families each year with a range of services. Its many programs include those on child protection, domestic violence and juvenile justice. CWLA maintains a National Data Analysis System of child welfare data and statistics.
Contact: Joyce Johnson, communications director, 804.492.4519 (central Virginia); jjohnson@cwla.org

Children’s Defense Fund; www.childrensdefense.org
The nonprofit organization supports children's healthy growth and development. It does research and advocacy for all children, giving particular attention to poor and minority children and those with disabilities.
Contact: Ed Shelleby, press secretary, 202.662.3602; eshelleby@childrensdefense.org

Children's Rights; http://www.childrensrights.org/
Children's Rights is a national watchdog organization advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children in the United States. The organization uses legal action and policy initiatives to create lasting improvements in child protection, foster care and adoption. It began as a project of the American Civil Liberties Union and became an independent nonprofit organization in 1995.
Contact: Chris Iseli; communications director; 212.683.2210; ciseli@childrensrights.org

Every Child Matters Education Fund; http://www.everychildmatters.org/
The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization works to make children, youth and families a national political priority. Its study, “Geography Matters Report: Child Well-Being in the States,” finds that huge disparities exist among states, based on ten indicators of child well-being: infant mortality, child death, teen deaths, births to teen mothers, lack of prenatal care, uninsured children, child poverty, juvenile incarceration, child abuse fatalities and child welfare expenditures. The report shows how states compare for each indicator, and attributes state disparities to a widening national investment gap in health and social programs.

National Association of Counties; www.naco.org
The nonprofit organization gathers data and other information on the full range of economic issues affecting counties, including health care, housing, education, labor and employment, transportation and human services. The site's national, state and county maps link to information on geography, demographics and governance.
Contact: Jim Philipps, media relations manager, 202.942.4220; jphilipps@naco.org

National Association of Social Workers; www.socialworkers.org
NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies. Contact: Allison Nadelhaft, senior communications associate, 202.336.8228; anadelhaft@naswdc.org

National Center for Children in Poverty; www.nccp.org
Founded in 1989 at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, the nonprofit research center promotes the economic security, health and well-being of America's low-income families and children. It produces state- and federally focused reports and fact sheets that highlight strategies to end child poverty. (See its fact sheet, "Basic Facts About Low-Income Children in the United States.")
Contact: Morris Ardoin, communications director, 646.284.9616; ardoin@nccp.org

National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues; http://www.abanet.org/child/rclji/aboutus.html
A service of the federal Children's Bureau, the resource center is part of the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law. It promotes the improvement of laws and judicial decision-making to ensure safety, permanence and well-being for abused and neglected children. It provides training and technical assistance to agencies and courts.
Contact: Mark Hardin, director, 202.662.1750; markhardin@staff.abanet.org

National Coalition for Child Protection Reform; http://www.nccpr.org/
The nonprofit organization promotes improving policies concerning child abuse, foster care and family preservation. It contends that too many children enter foster care instead of remaining at home with supportive services.
Contact: Richard Wexler, executive director, 703.212.2006; rwexler@nccpr.org

National Conference of State Legislatures; www.ncsl.org
The bipartisan organization serves state legislators and staffs. Its experts - on subjects from family economic success to social services to immigration - can identify trends, and its Web site suggests story ideas.
Contact: 303.364.7700 (Denver headquarters), 202.624.5400 (Washington, D.C.)

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges; www.ncjfcj.org/
The council provides training, technical assistance and research to improve the nation's courts, judges and staff. It also works to raise awareness of core issues affecting children and families, including: child abuse and neglect, adoption and foster care, family violence, and alcohol and other drug abuse. It runs the National Center for Juvenile Justice and the Resource Center on Domestic Violence, which provides information on domestic violence and child protection
Contact: Jackie Ruffin, communications manager, 775.784.6686; jruffin@ncjfcj.org

National Council of La Raza; www.nclr.org
The nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization conducts applied research, policy analysis and advocacy. It provides a Latino perspective in five research areas: employment and economic status, assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education and health. NCLA also assists state and local affiliates working with individuals and families.
Contact: Office of public information, 202.785.1670; opi@nclr.org

Society for Research in Child Development; www.srcd.org
The nonprofit, multidisciplinary association has roughly 5,500 member researchers, practitioners and human development professionals. SRCD seeks to encourage practitioners and policymakers to apply research findings to public policies. Among its publications are a quarterly Social Policy Report and the bimonthly Child Development journal.
Contact: Mary Ann McCabe, communications director, 202.289.7902; mmccabe@srcd.org

UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities; http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/
The center aims to improve society's ability to provide children with the best opportunities for health, well-being and the chance to assume productive roles within families and communities. It works to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and distribution of health and social services. Its research also addresses efforts to reduce neglect and abuse.
Contact: 310.794.2583; chcfc@ucla.edu

Voices for America’s Children; http://www.voicesforamericaschildren.org

The nonprofit organization coordinates a nationwide network of state and local child advocacy agencies. It advocates for public policies to ensure that every child is healthy and educated; safe from abuse, violence and poverty; and nurtured by family and community.

Contact: Halle Czechowski, communications vice president, 202.289.0777, Ext. 211; czechowski@voices.org

Stories from the News Summary

“Mothers in Crisis Turn to ‘Temporary Parents’ ”
Erik Eckholm, The New York Times
Once child welfare officials had a stark choice when dealing with families in crisis: either break the family up and send the kids to foster care, or leave them in a potentially risky situation. Now, many states are trying out more intermediate steps — either placing a social worker with families for intensive help for weeks at a time, or finding mentoring families who agree to take the children in for an indefinite period, without the formalities and potential legal battles involved in foster care. In Chicago, which like many cities has experienced an increase in domestic issues due to the recession, one such program has already placed 1,200 children with mentoring families.

More >

“Files Detail Deaths of 14 Children”
Garrett Therolf and Kim Christensen, Los Angeles Times
Records that include previously confidential family services and police reports, medical charts and other documents, obtained by the Los Angeles Times through a California Public Records Act request, provide the first comprehensive snapshot of child fatalities in Los Angeles County. A new state law that took effect last year loosened the confidentiality requirements that had kept most such information from public view. The records show that fourteen children died of abuse and neglect in Los Angeles County last year despite coming from families that had been under the scrutiny of child welfare officials. Altogether, 32 children died in the county last year from abuse or neglect; the other 18 came from families with no previous contact with the child welfare system. More >
 

“Child Abuse Spikes as U.S. Economy Flounders”
Jason Szep, Reuters
Hospitals, police and child welfare officials across the country are reporting a noticeable increase in the number of child abuse and neglect cases, and many are attributing the trend directly to the stress the nation’s poor economy is putting on families struggling at the economic margins. The cases involve shaken-baby incidents, medical neglect and subdural bleeding in children who have suffered blows to the head. At the same time, cash-strapped states are struggling to keep up with an increasing number of child abuse reports.   More >