September 27th 2005 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau in the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) has contracted with WRMA to continue to ensure the effective implementation of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) and to continue the coordination with related data collection and automated information systems efforts in the Children’s Bureau.

One of WRMA's longstanding projects is the design, implementation, and technical support of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). NCANDS collects annual data on child maltreatment from all State Child Protective Services departments. Case-level data on approximately 90% of all investigated reports of child maltreatment in the United States are collected by NCANDS. Data fields include the demographics of the children and their perpetrators, types of maltreatment, investigation or assessment dispositions, risk factors, and services provided as a result of the investigation or assessment. In 2005, the 14th annual report on child maltreatment was published. This report has become the standard for data on child maltreatment throughout the Nation, and indeed internationally. The data are a core part of the national review of child welfare systems conducted by the Children's Bureau (Child and Family Services Review), the reporting of the Children's Bureau to the Office of Management and Budget on performance, and an annual report to Congress on child welfare outcomes.

WRMA's ability to meet the needs of the Children’s Bureau, while simultaneously working with each state to address its unique data collection, infrastructure, and technological circumstances, has been the key to the ongoing success of this project.


The 2004 Child Maltreatment report will be released in April 2006. The reports can be accessed at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/publications/cm03/index.htm