The Utah Division of Child and Family Services released its 2023 annual report, which outlines agency accomplishments and statistics related to child safety and family support. The report focuses on the importance of maintaining a supported workforce and an integrated service community to keep children safe.
During Fiscal Year 2023, the agency received 47,325 reports of child abuse and neglect. Of those, 22,736 reports were accepted for a formal CPS assessment, resulting in 9,278 children being confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect. The report noted that 89.5% of children confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect did not experience repeat maltreatment within a 12-month period. Additionally, 2,098 cases were provided with in-home services.
Foster care statistics for Fiscal Year 2023 show that 3,376 total children were served in foster care at some point during the year. Of the 1,418 children placed in foster care during that fiscal year, 70.5% involved substance use as a safety concern. Among those placed in foster care, 1,691 children were served in a kinship placement. The report found that 93.2% of children who exited foster care to a relative in Fiscal Year 2022 did not re-enter foster care within 12 months.
The report also provided data on median time in care for children exiting foster care in Fiscal Year 2023. The median time was 13.8 months, compared to 10 months for children exiting to reunification and 20 months for children exiting to adoption. In terms of domestic violence, 2,700 children were confirmed as victims of domestic violence related child abuse, and 2,782 adult and child clients were served in domestic violence shelters.
Regarding workforce development, 213 new DCFS employees completed their required training hours during Fiscal Year 2023.
