Change Indicator

Children ages birth to 8 in investigated families in Michigan

Children ages birth to 8 in investigated families

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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

These numbers reflect a count of children ages birth to 8 in families where an investigation of alleged child abuse or neglect occurred. Families may be investigated more than once in a given year and their children would be counted each time. The rate is per 1,000 children ages birth to 8. Rates are suppressed with an "S" for counts fewer than 6 to maintain reliability.

Data Source

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Protective Services.

 

Notes

Michigan saw a decline in out-of-home placement, investigations, and confirmed reports of abuse and neglect during the pandemic. We believe this to be a result of underreporting as opposed to a true reduction in child abuse and neglect. With kids engaged in remote schooling and families skipping medical check-ups, children may have lost valuable opportunities to interact with mandated reporters, meaning some instances of abuse and neglect may have never been reported or investigated. 

The numbers for Wexford and Missaukee are combined for 1998-2009. Grand Traverse and Leelanau are combined for 2003-09. Mecosta and Osceola are combined for 2001-07.

Data for 2008 were found to be unreliable and have been removed.

Data for 2010-2012,  Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Missaukee and Wexford counties were revised on 3/19/20.

City-level data prior to 2021 were found to be unreliable due to discrepancies within city population counts and have been removed.

Last Updated

April 2024