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All Connecticut Children Grow Up Safe.

Abuse, Neglect All Types 0-17

Current Value

9.66

2016

Definition

Line Bar Comparison

Story Behind the Curve

In Connecticut, abuse includes any malnutrition, sexual molestation, deprivation of necessities, emotional maltreatment or cruel punishment. Children are defined as being neglected when they have been abandoned, are denied proper care and attention, are allowed to live under conditions, in situations, or with associations, that are harmful to their well-being. To further understand what differentiates the two categories, a breakdown and detailed explanation for each type of abuse and neglect can be found on the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) website.

This indicator is reported as a rate per 1,000 of unique, substantiated victims, calculated by DCF. The state’s 2016 reported rate of cases of abuse and neglect has seen an increase from last year’s rate of 8.32 instances per 1,000.The current rate is 9.66. The prevalence of reports to DCF for neglect may be related to issues of need such as poverty, unemployment, a general lack of resources, mental health issues and substance abuse. Connecticut’s major cities have some of the highest rates of poverty in the nation. In Hartford, 46.1% of the children under 18 live below the poverty line.

Abuse and neglect can have various short and long term impacts on a child’s mental and physical health. Some of the negative consequences highlighted by the Child Welfare Information Gateway include: impaired brain development, cognitive difficulties, increased drug/alcohol use, and a variety of physical health issues (The mental health impacts for abuse and neglect to children include: anxiety, depression, dissociation, difficulty concentrating, social difficulties and difficulties sleeping and reacting to stress.These issues associated with abuse and neglect can be detrimental to a child’s primary education, including their likelihood to attend higher education, and subsequent job prospects.

Policymakers have sought to enhance the reporting of abuse and neglect so that it is accurately recognized and subsequently reduced. Recent bills that have been signed into law include cross-reporting animal cruelty and child abuse, penalties for failing to report child abuse, and revisions to DCF’s child abuse and neglect registry.In 2015, under the new cross reporting law, animal control officers reported 87 suspicions of animal abuse to the Department of Children and Families which resulted in 8 new child abuse investigations being opened and the extension of 9 existing investigations that were about to be closed. This policy has generally resulted in fewer substantiated allegations since its implementation, but the agency continues to annually serve over 30,000 families who may require support in order to safely care for their children.

Partners

  • Department of Children and Families
  • Office of the Child Advocate
  • Child Poverty and Prevention Council
  • Department of Social Services
  • Community Action Agencies (CAA)
  • The Village for Families and Children
  • Systems of Care (SOC)/Community Collaborative

Strategy

  • Strengthen Connecticut's Differential Response System. (DCF)
  • Establish Child-Parent Centers (CPCs)to provide comprehensive educational and family support to economically disadvantaged children and their parents. (CDC)
  • Improve family well-being and to reduce child maltreatment by coordinating services for high-risk families. (CDC)
  • Implement a shared information system, a standardized data collection system, cross-training, and integrating services across organizations (CDC)
  • Screen parents of children ages 0–5 in pediatric primary care settings to identify parental exposure to partner violence, mental illness, or substance abuse and provides appropriate referrals. (CDC)
  • Encourage communities to promote the types of relationships and environments that help children grow up to be healthy and productive citizens so that they, in turn, can build stronger and safer families and communities for their children. (CDC)

Strategies contributed by staff from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Comment

Data source: DCF Office of Research and Evaluation.

Data shows rates (per 1000) of Unique Victims with Substantiated Allegations of Reports Accepted During SFY 2006 through 2011

Data Source: Data provided by DCF, Office of Research and Evaluation. For combined age ranges, the rate per 1,000 children reflects children ages 0 - 17 years old.

Connecticut Department of Children and Families, Office of Research and Evaluation.

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