Child Protection at the Crossroads-The Figures

 The following is an excerpt from:
Child Protection at the Crossroads:
Child Abuse, Child Protection, and Recommendations for Reform (03/31/1998)

BY SUSAN ORR, PH.D.
Read More about author. Interesting how Not being "Political Correct" may put your job in jeopardy
(Click on Title to Download pdf file)

When Reading this, ask yourself, Have Things Changed today, the year 2012??

"Although much public attention has focused on the cost of public assistance (the former AFDC program), child welfare is the more expensive governmental activity and the more complicated. In 1995, the federal government spent about $11,698 per child in foster care, whereas it spent only $1,012 for each person receiving welfare benefits. When factoring in state costs, the average cost increases even further to $21,092 per child in foster care versus $2,499 for each person receiving a welfare check.

The United States has had federally mandated child-protection laws for over a quarter of a century. Since these mandates have been in effect, child maltreatment rates have increased tremendously and child- protection agencies’ ability to handle the increase has declined:

 

• When CAPTA was enacted in 1973, child-protection agencies handled about 60,000 reports of abuse and neglect; today they handle 3 million.
• Substantiation rates have plummeted from a high of 61 percent in 1976 to a current low of 31 percent. 
• Early estimates on confirmed abuse and neglect, while far from exact, ranged from 6,500 in 1967 to 360,000 in 1974. 
• In 1997, child-protection agencies confirmed that 963,870 children were abused or neglected by their parents. 
• Around the same time, more than 130,500 children entered foster care bringing the total number of children being taken care of by the state to 520,000 
• Less than 20 percent of all substantiated cases of child maltreatment go to criminal or civil court. 
• Most children can remain home safely, even after a substantiated incident. Fewer than 20 percent of the three million children investigated are in sufficient danger that they have to be removed from their family."

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We must all keep in mind that the 2 goals of the agency are:

• Protecting Children
• Strengthening Families

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May you find Strength in Your Higher Power,
Granpa Chuck
Keeper of the web files for http://nfpcar.org