October 21, 2009 – 12:01 AM (ET)
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Washington, DC – A report released today shows that 10,440 children in the U.S. are known to have died from abuse and neglect between 2001 and 2007, but experts say the real number may be as much as 50 percent higher. The difference is due to varying definitions of abuse and neglect in the states, as well as inconsistent record-keeping and data collection methodologies. Child protection leaders say the situation makes it impossible to provide an accurate assessment of abuse and neglect of children in America.

The report from the Every Child Matters Education Fund shows that more than 1,760 U.S. children are documented to have died from abuse or neglect in 2007 – a 35 percent increase since 2001. It says that the combination of millions of vulnerable children and inadequate resources leaves states stretched too thin to protect all children who need it. 
        
“It’s heart-wrenching that each day in America, five children will die from abuse and neglect, but what’s worse is that the real number is even larger,” said Michael Petit, president of Every Child Matters Education Fund. “Child abuse and neglect are national problems that require national solutions. That means federal lawmakers must work with states to address what causes it, be more consistent in how data about it are shared, and increase support for the agencies that work to stop it.”

Today’s report serves as a wake-up call for federal lawmakers. National leaders in child protection, law enforcement, educators, policy makers and others are gathering in Washington, DC, today to kick off two days of intensive discussions among diverse organizations to identify the policies and resources needed to reduce deaths from child abuse and neglect. Congress must soon take up work to reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, or CAPTA, which provides federal funding to states to address child abuse and neglect. 

The report looks at the most recent state data made available by the federal government. It includes information collected through the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, which is supported by the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. It also includes data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Highlights show:

Child deaths attributed to abuse or neglect vary significantly by state.
Kentucky had the highest rate of death due to child abuse and neglect in 2007 – 41 deaths, or a rate of 4.09 per 100,000 children in the state. Other states topping the list include South Dakota (4.08), Florida (3.79), Nebraska (3.59) and Missouri (3.51). States with the lowest rate of child death from abuse or neglect in 2007 are Delaware Rhode Island, Idaho, Maine and Montana.

“About half of all children who die from abuse and neglect were previously brought to the attention of authorities – either by another family member, a teacher, physician, neighbor or someone else who cared about their safety and well-being,” said Teresa Huizar, executive director, National Children’s Alliance. “But case workers are routinely stretched too thin, and funding levels are too low. The result is often too little action that is taken too late, and kids die as a result.”

There is nearly a 13-fold difference in the amount that states spend per person to address abuse and neglect.
While there is no funding level or formula that guarantees a reduction in child deaths, states that invest in a strong social safety net for children – including health, social services, education, plus child protection – experience fewer child abuse/neglect deaths, on average. Experts suggest that this is because fewer families experience difficulties in the first place, and that if child abuse does occur, case workers can investigate more cases more thoroughly, thus protecting more children from potential harm.  

“We need a bigger investment in case workers, whether it is number of staff or additional training,” said Rebecca Myers, L.S.W., director, external relations at the National Association of Social Workers. “Child protection workers are often the first line of defense in protecting children living in high-risk situations, but caseloads in some jurisdictions are as high as 60 or more, even though national standards recommend 12 or fewer cases per worker.”

Poverty is closely associated with child abuse and neglect.
Experts say stopping deaths due to child abuse and neglect requires addressing poverty, particularly during challenging economic times. While no level of household income or educational level makes a family immune to this issue, a child living in poverty is 22 times more likely to be abused than children living in families with an annual income of $30,000 or more.

Recent Census figures show that states with the highest levels of children living in poverty are Arizona (26%), New Mexico (26%), Kentucky (24%), Alabama (24%) and Mississippi (24%). States with the lowest levels of child poverty are New Hampshire (9%), Utah (9%), Alaska (10%), Vermont (10%), Maryland (10%) and Connecticut (10%).
 
Celebrities and others join in support.
Stars from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, took to Capitol Hill today to help raise awareness. The popular television show chronicles the New York Police Department team that investigates sexually based crimes, including those committed against children. Actors Tamara Tunie (medical examiner Melinda Warner) and B.D. Wong (psychiatrist George Huang) joined in speaking out on the importance of investing in the protection of children.

Organizations supporting the summit this week include the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Every Child Matters Education Fund, National Association of Social Workers, National Center on Child Death Review and National Children’s Alliance.

The discussion of children’s issues in Washington this week comes exactly 100 years after President Theodore Roosevelt held the first-ever White House summit on children’s issues.

“A century after the first White House summit on children’s issues in America, we are faced with more children dying from abuse and neglect in the United States than in any other industrialized nation,” said Michael Fraser, Ph.D., chief executive officer, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. “The U.S. child abuse death rate is among the highest in the world – three times higher than that of Canada, and 11 times higher than that of Italy. We need leaders who will step up for children and make concerted efforts to turn these numbers around with our nation’s state and local maternal and child health professionals.”

Read the full report, learn more about the issue or send an email to elected officials here

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The Every Child Matters Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization working to make children, youth and families a national political priority. We promote the adoption of smart policies for children and youth, including: ensuring that children have access to affordable, comprehensive health care services; expanding early-care and learning opportunities and after-school programs; preventing violence against children in their homes and communities; alleviating child poverty; and addressing the special needs of children with parents in prison. 

Comments (5)

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Student
written by Mary Ann Conley, January 28, 2010

I think something NEEDS to be done on the National level. Way too many kids are victims and it's time it stops. Kids look to us adults to protect them and if we are failing them then something is bad wrong. Reading the article made me sad. I wish I could save them all.

Attorney
written by kim nelson, November 02, 2009

I have worked as a child advocate for the past 17 years and one main area that needs reform is in the court systems holding the jurisdiction over such cases/issues. Too often judges and magistrates deciding the cases/issues have too little training, experience and appreciation for what is involved with such families and children and therefore the decisions often do more harm than good (the courts hearing the appelate cases equally lack such training, experience and appreciation). Because judges are elected officials (and thus truely politicians much more than they are public servants) they virtually report to no one and thus they are free to act without recourse. If the child protection agencies and/or law enforcement officials fail to adequately act as the necessary checks and balances to the court's decisions the children and families suffer. Currently there is not one authoritative body in Ohio whose only role is to protect, serve and advocate for children and families. Ohio statutes require its juvenile/family courts to appoint "a guardian ad litem to protect the interest of a child in any proceeding concerning an alledged abused or neglected child ... The guardian ad Litem so appointed shall not be an employee of any party in the proceeding" however too often the courts (judges/magistrates) making those appointments also directly or indirectly control the programs providing the guardians ad litem (sometimes known as CASA or similar names) thus there is arguably a relationship much too similar to employer/employee between the judges and the guardian ad litems . Without a truely independent guardian ad litem who is by state statute commanded to "perform whatever functions are necessary to protect the best interest of the child, including but not limited to, investigation, mediation, monitoring court proceedings and monitoring the services provided by the public children services agency..." If the guardian ad litem is in any way beholden to the judge they are not independent and if the guardians ad litem are not independent they are not serving the children and families' needs but instead the needs of the judges. If true reform is ever going to occur there needs to be an authoritative body specifically established to oversee the court systems and professionals providing such necessary advocacy services to the abused and neglected children and their families. Someone or something needs to hold the judges and courts responsible for upholding the statutes already enacted to protect children.

...
written by Jay Craig, October 28, 2009

Need more stress on tougher sentencing and separation of abuser from victims.

Every child matters mantra
written by Shaun O'Connell, October 25, 2009

The risk the public face is much the same as in the UK - overall rates of deaths from child abuse are much the same year on year yet when the vested interest bodies want to make high profile they do so not on the back of a real rise in child deaths but because they seek greater funding and greater ability to invade families lives. It was Hitler who first came up with the phrase in the best interests of the child and his theory was that if the Public accepted the abuses of the State as they deemed it to be for 'the best interests of the child' then they would accept any abuses in such name. Sad though child abuse is, the State actors are not acting to help reduce the problem but to further invade family life. Be aware of the agenda behind such notions that the State can solve these problems when it seems to us that the State increases the problems. www.familieslink.co.uk

I am heartbroken
written by Elena Gomez, October 22, 2009

I am heartbroken after reading these reports. I am terrified to think, that even though we have addressed the isse, I feel like it is not enough. I think strong legislation needs to be taken, and I am at a loss for what else to do right now. I wish I could do more. I wish I could save them all.

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