Statistics regarding child abuse and neglect. Compiled by Palmetto Place Children's Shelter, Columbia, South Carolina.

1. CHILD ABUSE AND
NEGLECT
Updated February 2012

2. National Child Abuse Statistics
 Most abuse victims are girls
 Over 60% of victims experience neglect

3. South Carolina ranks 45th in the
nation for overall well-being of
children

5. South Carolina Statewide
Statistics
 Cases are calculated by the household, not
individual child
 9,424 cases of child abuse and neglect in
2010-2011
 7,457 were cases of neglect (79%)

6. Richland County Statistics
 Cases are calculated by the household, not
individual child
 568 cases of child abuse and neglect in 2010-
2011
 472 were cases of neglect (83%)

7. Lexington County Statistics
 Cases are calculated by the household, not
individual child
 341 cases of child abuse and neglect in 2010-
2011
 262 were cases of neglect (77%)

8. Kershaw County Statistics
 Cases are calculated by the household, not
individual child
 56 cases of child abuse and neglect in 2010-
2011
 45 were cases of neglect (80%)

9. Long Term Consequences of
Child Abuse and Neglect

10. Physical
 Shaken Baby Syndrome
 Impaired brain development
 Poor overall physical health

11. Psychological
 Depression in children as young as 3
 Poor mental and emotional health
 As many as 80% of abused children met
criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder by
age 21
 Cognitive difficulties
 Social difficulties

12. Behavioral
 25% more likely to experience problems
during adolescence
 More likely to be arrested as juvenile and adult
 Alcohol and drug abuse
 Up to one-third of victims will victimize their
own children

13. Societal
 Average lifetime cost per victim
 $32,648 in childhood health care costs
 $10,530 in adult medical costs
 $144,360 in productivity losses
 $7,728 in child welfare costs
 $6,747 in criminal justice costs
 $7,999 in special education costs

14. Prevention

15.  Several programs have demonstrated reductions in child
abuse and neglect and have great potential to reduce the
human and economic toll on our society. Several examples
of effective programs include:
 Nurse–Family Partnership, an evidence–based community
health program. Partners a registered nurse with a first–time
mother during pregnancy and continues through the child′s
second birthday. http://www.nursefamilypartnership.org/
 Early Start, provides coordinated, family–centered system of
services: http://www.dds.ca.gov/earlystart/ California′s
response to federal legislation providing early intervention
services to infant and toddlers with disabilities and their
families.
 Triple P, a multilevel parenting and family support
system: http://www.triplep–america.com/Aims to prevent
severe emotional and behavioral disturbances in children by
promoting positive and nurturing relationships between
parent and child.

16. About Palmetto Place
Palmetto Place Children’s Shelter is a temporary, safe and caring haven for
abused, abandoned and neglected children in the Midlands. The Shelter
provides residential care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. At Palmetto Place,
we provide medical and mental health care, crisis adjustment/transitional
counseling, after school tutoring and recreational and social activities in
addition to food, clothing and shelter. When home is not a safe and loving
place, we open our doors and offer each child the opportunity for a better,
healthier and more productive future. Since the Shelter opened in 1977, we
have cared for more than 6,700 at-risk children from newborn to age 17. In
2011, we cared for 120 children at Palmetto Place, but we could have helped
more.