A new report shows Nebraska children are removed from their homes at almost twice the national rate under the state’s child welfare system.
That finding was part of the 2012 Kids Count in Nebraska report, released earlier this week by Voices for Children. The report measures well-being based on health, education, safety, and economic stability.
Sarah Forrest, Voices for Children’s Policy Coordinator for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice, says Nebraska’s child welfare system struggles in some areas. “Over the past decade, the number of children experiencing abuse and neglect has risen. And many children in out-of-home care struggle to find a permanent home, moving from place to place.”
The report shows that 80 percent of child maltreatment cases in Nebraska are due to neglect. Forrest says there’s a link between poverty and maltreatment of children due to neglect. “That’s a failure to meet the basic needs of children, like shelter, food, clothing, getting them to school on time, things that families in poverty just have a harder time doing.”
More information on the 2012 Kids Count in Nebraska report is available at www.voicesforchildren.com.