Child Welfare System

In 1999, the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, undertook the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) to learn about children and families coming in contact with the child welfare system (CWS). The sample, which represents the population of children and families that entered the CWS within a 15 month period, comprises 5,501 children (aged 0 to 14 years) from 92 child welfare agencies nation-wide. The NSCAW gathers information about children's safety, living-situation permanency, well-being, and services after a maltreatment investigation by child protective services. This book provides information about 962 children who were infants when they first became involved in investigations for child abuse or neglect and whose caregivers participated at the 5- to 6-year follow-up.