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.
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
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
