The 2013 KIDS COUNT data book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation was recently released. Updated each year, KIDS COUNT provides a snapshot of child and family well-being in the United States as well as within each individual state. The data found in this year’s data book is from 2011.
Because there is so much data available in KIDS COUNT, this particular blog post highlights only those indicators related to child poverty, child abuse and neglect, and out-of-home placement.
Minnesota At-A-Glance
Of the 5.34 million people in Minnesota, children made up 24 percent, or 1.28 million. Seventy-nine percent identified as White, 7.7 percent as Hispanic, 7.1 percent as Black, 5.1 percent as Asian, and 1.5 percent as American Indian/Alaskan Native. Just under half of all children in Minnesota were between the ages of 5 and 13 years, and just over a quarter were between the ages of 0 and 4 years. The median family (with child) income in Minnesota was $71,100. This was higher than the national U.S. average of $58,000. However, the median household income in Minnesota (with or without children) was just $56,944.
Children in Poverty in Minnesota
The number of children living in poverty is an important statistic to consider for those working in the field of child welfare. The main maltreatment determination in child maltreatment cases, whether in Minnesota or nationwide, is non-medical neglect (69 percent of all cases in Minnesota in 2011 and 73 percent nationwide). Unfortunately, the line between poverty and neglect is not always definitive.
Minnesota’s version of the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (also known as “welfare”) is the Minnesota Family Investment Program, or MFIP. According to this bulletin from DHS, when a family of three reaches $1,812 per month in gross earned income (115 percent of the federal poverty level), they are no longer eligible for MFIP. As of February 2013, 71 percent of those served by MFIP were children, and about 1/3 were 5 years of age or younger.
KIDS COUNT data shows that in 2011 there were 11,350 child-only Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) cases, just slightly less than the number of child-only cases in 2010 (11,409) but still 1,000 more than in 2007. (In child-only cases, adult caregivers are not eligible to receive MFIP but the children in their care are; often the child-only cases involve relative caregivers of children.)
In addition to child-only MFIP cases, there were 25,177 MFIP cases in 2011 in which the adult caregivers were also eligible for MFIP. This number is just slightly less than the number of cases in 2010 (25,881) but is still 4,000 more than the number of cases in 2007.
Overall, the number of children living in poverty* in Minnesota has been rising steadily since 2007. In 2011 there were 192,156 children in poverty (15.3 percent of the child population), 77,000 of whom were children ages 0 to 5, whereas in 2007 there were 148,294 (57,000 aged 0 to 5).
*In 2011, “a family of two adults and two children fell in the ‘poverty’ category if their annual income fell below $22,811.” This status does not include children and youth in foster care.
| Children Living in Poverty in MN by Race/Ethnicity | ||
| Race/Ethnicity | % Child Population | % in Poverty |
| American Indian | 1.4% | 49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.4% | 23% |
| Black/African American | 7.4% | 46% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 8.2% | 30% |
| Non-Hispanic White | 73.1% | 9% |
| 2+ Races | 4.6% | 23% |
Child Welfare Indicators
The number of children who were abused and neglected in Minnesota in 2011 was 4,434, less than the number in 2007 (6,277). This means that for every 1,000 children, about 3.5 were involved in a substantiated case of maltreatment. In addition to this, there were 15,894 children whose families participated in Family Assessment, where there is no determination of maltreatment. This amounts to about 12.4 children per 1,000.
In 2011 the number of children in out-of-home placements was 11,368, down by about 3,500 from 2007. Those entering foster care numbered 5,946 while those exiting numbered 5,709. The majority of children exited foster care to be reunified with a parent or primary caregiver (64%). Four percent left to live with other relatives and 9 percent entered guardianship.
The number of children who were adopted nearly matched the number of children who aged out of care (575 vs. 565). The majority of those adopted were between the ages of 1 and 5 (54%); only 3 percent of 16- to 20-year-olds were adopted.
| Children Involved in Child Welfare by Race/Ethnicity | |||
| Race/Ethnicity | % Child Population | % Victims of Maltreatment | % in Out-of-Home Placement |
| American Indian | 1.4% | 9% | 16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.4% | 3% | 2% |
| Black/African American | 7.4% | 19% | 18% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 8.2% | 11% | 10% |
| Non-Hispanic White | 73.1% | 45% | 43% |
| 2+ Races | 4.6% | 12% | 10% |
| Race Unknown | Unk. | 1% | 0% |
And so?
The numbers found in the 2013 KIDS COUNT data book for this year tell us that we still have work to do for our children, especially in light of the recent report concerning disproportionality rates for children of color in foster care. Statistics continue to show a large number of children living in poverty in Minnesota, particularly children of color, as well as disproportionate rates of children of color in the child welfare system.
CASCW encourages policymakers to consider evidence-based policy solutions for our children and families. Additionally, CASCW urges the continuation and expansion of programs aimed at improving outcomes for children of color in child welfare.
Explore the 2013 KIDS COUNT data book by following this link. Let us know your take by leaving a comment below!