Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

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Only official editions of the Federal Register provide legal notice of publication to the public and judicial notice to the courts under 44 U.S.C. 1503 & 1507. Learn more here. Published Document: 2026-11655 (91 FR 35482) This document has been published in the Federal Register. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format. AGENCY: Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Request for public comments. SUMMARY: The Administration for Children, Youth and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is requesting a three-year extension of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) collection (OMB#0970-0424, expiration 07/31/2026). There are no changes requested to this data collection. Description: The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) was amended in 1988 to direct the Secretary of HHS to establish a national data collection and analysis program, which would make available state child abuse and neglect reporting information. HHS responded by establishing NCANDS as a voluntary national reporting system. During 1996, CAPTA was amended to require all states that receive funds from the Basic State Grant program to work with the Secretary of HHS to provide specific data elements, to the maximum extent practicable, about children who had been maltreated. Subsequent CAPTA reauthorizations and amendments added required data elements. The current list of CAPTA required data elements includes: (1) The number of children who were reported to the state during the year as victims of child abuse or neglect. (2) Of the number of children described in paragraph (1), the number with respect to whom such reports were — (a) Substantiated; (b) Unsubstantiated; or (c) Determined to be false. (3) Of the number of children described in paragraph (2) — (a) the number that did not receive services during the year under the state program funded under this section or an equivalent state program; (b) the number that received services during the year under the state program funded under this section or an equivalent state program; and (c) the number that were removed from their families during the year by disposition of the case. (4) The number of families that received preventive services, including ( printed page 35483) use of differential response, from the state during the year. (5) The number of deaths in the state during the year resulting from child abuse or neglect. (6) Of the number of children described in paragraph (5), the number of such children who were in foster care. (7) (a) The number of child protective service personnel responsible for the — (i.) intake of reports filed in the previous year; (ii.) screening of such reports; (iii.) assessment of such reports; and (iv.) investigation of such reports. (b) The average caseload for the workers described in subparagraph (A). (8) The agency response time with respect to each such report with respect to initial investigation of reports of child abuse or neglect. (9) The response time with respect to the provision of services to families and children where an allegation of child abuse or neglect has been made. (10) N/A for NCANDS. (11) The number of children reunited with their families or receiving family preservation services that, within five years, result in subsequent substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect, including the death of the child. (12) The number of children for whom individuals were appointed by the court to represent the best interests of such children and the average number of out of court contacts between such individuals and children. (13) N/A for NCANDS. (14) N/A for NCANDS. (15) The number of children referred to a child protective services system under subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii). (16) The number of children determined to be eligible for referral, and the number of children referred, under subsection (b)(2)(B)(xxi), to agencies providing early intervention services under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431et seq.). (17) The number of children determined to be victims described in subsection (b)(2)(B)(xxiv). (18) The number of infants — (a) identified under subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii); (b) for whom a plan of safe care was developed under subsection (b)(2)(B)(iii); and (c) for whom a referral was made for appropriate services, including services for the affected family or caregiver, under subsection (b)(2)(B)(iii). The items listed under number (10), (13), and (14) are not collected by NCANDS. The Children's Bureau proposes to continue collecting the NCANDS data through the two files of the Detailed Case Data Component, the Child File (the case-level component of NCANDS) and the Agency File (additional aggregate data, which cannot be collected at the case level). There are no proposed changes to the NCANDS data collection instruments. Small changes were made to streamline the instructions to provide clarity. Respondents: State governments, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.