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Child Maltreatment 2006: Summary of Key Findings
Numbers and Trends

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Year Published:  2008

This factsheet presents excerpts from Child Maltreatment 2006, a report based on data submissions by State child protective services (CPS) agencies for Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2006. The full Child Maltreatment 2006 report is available on the Children's Bureau website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm06/index.htm

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How many children were reported and received an investigation or assessment for abuse and neglect?

During Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2006, an estimated 3.3 million referrals, involving the alleged maltreatment of approximately 6.0 million children, were made to CPS agencies. An estimated 3.6 million children received an investigation or assessment.

• Approximately 60 percent (61.7%) of referrals were screened in for investigation or assessment by CPS agencies.
• Approximately 30 percent of the investigations or assessments found at least one child to be a victim of abuse or neglect, with the following report dispositions: 25.2 percent substantiated, 3.0 percent indicated, and 0.4 percent alternative response victim.¹
• More than 70 percent of the investigations or assessments determined that the child was not a victim of maltreatment, with the following dispositions: 60.4 percent unsubstantiated, 5.9 percent alternative response nonvictim², 3.2 percent "other," 1.7 percent closed with no finding, and 0.1 percent intentionally false.

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Who reported child maltreatment?

For 2006, more than one-half (56.3%) of all reports of alleged child abuse or neglect were made by professionals. The term professional means that the person had contact with the alleged child maltreatment victim as part of the report source's job. The remaining reports were made by nonprofessionals, including friends, neighbors, sports coaches, and relatives.

The three most common report sources were teachers (16.5%), lawyers or police officers (15.8%), and social services staff (10.0%).

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Who were the child victims?

During 2006, an estimated 905,000 children were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect. Among the children confirmed as victims by CPS agencies in 2006:

• Children in the age group of birth to 1 year had the highest rate of victimization at 24.4 per 1,000 children of the same age group in the national population.
• Just over one-half (51.5%) of the child victims were girls, and 48.2 percent were boys.
• Approximately one-half (48.8%) of all victims were White; one-quarter (22.8%) were African-American; and 18.4 percent were Hispanic.

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What were the most common types of maltreatment?

As in prior years, neglect was the most common form of child maltreatment. CPS investigations determined that:

• More than 60 percent (64.1%) of victims suffered neglect.
• More than 15 percent (16.0%) of the victims suffered physical abuse.
• Less than 10 percent (8.8%) of the victims suffered sexual abuse.
• Less than 10 percent (6.6%) of the victims suffered from emotional maltreatment.

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How many children died from abuse or neglect?

Child fatalities are the most tragic consequence of maltreatment. During 2006, an estimated 1,530 children died due to child abuse or neglect. The overall rate of child fatalities was 2.04 deaths per 100,000 children.

• More than 40 percent (41.1%) were attributed to neglect; physical abuse also was a major contributor to child fatalities.
• More than three-quarters (78.0%) of the children who died due to child abuse and neglect were younger than 4 years old.
• Infant boys (younger than 1 year) had the highest rate of fatalities, at 18.5 deaths per 100,000 boys of the same age in the national population.
• Infant girls had a rate of 14.7 deaths per 100,000 girls of the same age.

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Who abused and neglected children?

In 2006, nearly 80 percent (79.4%) of perpetrators of child maltreatment were parents, and another 6.7 percent were other relatives of the victim. Women comprised a larger percentage of all perpetrators than men, 57.9 percent compared to 42.1 percent. More than three-quarters (77.5%) of all perpetrators were younger than age 40.

• Of the perpetrators who maltreated children, less than 10 percent (7.0%) committed sexual abuse, while 60.4 percent committed neglect.
• Of the perpetrators who were parents, more than 90 percent (91.5%) were the biological parent of the victim.

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Who received services?

During an investigation, CPS agencies provide services to children and their families, both in the home and in foster care.

• Nearly 60 percent (58.9%) of child victims received postinvestigation services. Of the children who were not found to be victims of maltreatment, 30.3 percent received such services.
• Approximately one-fifth (21.5 percent) of victims were placed in foster care. In addition, 4.4 percent of nonvictims were removed from their homes.

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The statistics in the Child Maltreatment reports are based on data submitted to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). NCANDS is a voluntary reporting system that was developed by the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to collect and analyze annual statistics on child maltreatment from State CPS agencies.

¹ The NCANDS disposition category of "alternative response victim" is defined as a conclusion that the child was identified as a victim when a response other than an investigation was provided. back
² The NCANDS disposition category of "alternative response nonvictim" is defined as a conclusion that the child was not identified as a victim when a response other than an investigation was provided. back

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Updated on December 8, 2008