Maternal & Child Health Data

Definition: Child abuse gives the rate per 1,000 children aged 0–17 with substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect in 2018. In the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), a substantiated disposition is one that “concludes the allegation of maltreatment or risk of maltreatment was supported or founded by state law or policy.” A victim is defined as a child for whom the state determined at least one reported incidence of maltreatment was substantiated or indicated (Source: Indicated: A less commonly used investigation disposition that concludes maltreatment could not be substantiated under state law or policy, but there was reason to suspect that at least one child may have been maltreated or was at risk of maltreatment. This is applicable only to states that distinguish between substantiated and indicated dispositions.)^{Go to footnote #>1} or the child received a disposition of “alternative response” victim. (Source: Alternative response victim: The provision of a response other than an investigation that determines a child was a victim of maltreatment. Three states report children in this category, and it refers to those instances where the child protective services agency or the courts required a family to receive services. Even though these children are considered victims by NCANDS, a perpetrator is not determined.)^{Go to footnote #>2} It is difficult to interpret differences in rates across states because each state has its own definitions of child abuse and neglect.

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2020). Child maltreatment 2018, table 3-3 child victims, 2014-2018. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/child-maltreatment