Child Welfare

Continued Decline in Number of Abuse/Neglect Reports

Foster care placement is often the final act to protect children from abuse and neglect after attempts have been made to stabilize their families. In order to lessen the trauma associated with being removed from their parents, the goal is to place children with people who are familiar to them, such as relatives, extended family members and/ or their siblings whenever possible. These placements not only promote emotional well-being, they also maintain family connections and the cultural and familial rituals to which the children are accustomed. This indicator tracks confirmed child abuse and neglect reports (substantiated allegations), the number of children entering foster care, and the percentage of children maintaining their family connections while in foster care.

How is San Bernardino County Doing?

TREND

Between 2018 and 2019, there was an 8% decline in the number of substantiated child abuse and neglect allegations, from 5,194 to 4,757 reports, respectively. In 2019, there were 2,622 children entering foster care, down 9% from 2018 when 2,888 children entered foster care.¹

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS AND FOSTER CARE ENTRIES INCREASE

Substantiated Allegations and Foster Care Entries in San Bernardino County, 2012-2021

RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL

Children who are Black experienced the highest rates of both substantiated allegations (17.7 per 1,000) and entries into foster care (12.0 per 1,000). On the other hand, children who are Asian or Pacific Islander had the lowest rates or substantiated reports (2.0 per 1,000) and entries into foster care (0.9 per 1,000). Latino children (8.2 per 1,000) and White children (8.0 per 1,000) were near the countywide average of 8.5 per 1,000 substantiated allegations. The countywide average for entries to foster care was 4.7 per 1,000, with both Latino and White children entering foster care slightly under that average (4.4 per 1,000 and 4.6 per 1,000, respectively).

SOCIOECONOMIC DETAIL

For children from birth through age five, the rate of substantiated allegations is 12.3 per 1,000 children, compared with California’s rate of 10.9 per 1,000 children. The rate of foster care entry is higher for children from birth through age five (7.4 per 1,000 children) than the birth through 17 population. California’s rate for children birth through age five entering foster care is 5.2 per 1,000 children.

GEOGRAPHIC COMPARISON

In 2019, San Bernardino County had 8.5 substantiated child abuse and neglect allegations per 1,000 children, in the middle among neighboring counties compared. The county’s rate of foster care entries (4.7 per 1,000 children), however, is higher than the statewide average (3.2 per 1,000) and all counties compared. When looking at the relationship between substantiated allegations and foster care placement, 55% of substantiated allegations in San Bernardino County resulted in foster care placement – a much higher proportion than the state and all counties compared.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY HAS HIGHEST RATE OF CHILDREN ENTERING FOSTER CARE

County Comparison of Substantiated Allegations and Foster Care Entries per 1,000 Children, 2021

In San Bernardino County, 76.1% of the children in foster care were placed with some or all of their siblings and 51.7% of the children were placed with all siblings. This rate of placement with all siblings is the lowest rate among neighboring counties and the state.

FEWER CHILDREN IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ARE PLACED WITH ALL SIBLINGS

County Comparison of Foster Youth Placed with Some or All Siblings, January 2022