In Texas in last year, 288,080 children were abused and neglected. Of this total, 24 percent of the children came from our region, which consists of these counties: Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise. Our region had the highest number of children abused and neglected in the state.
Dallas County had the third highest total in the state with 5,591 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect.
The Metroplex had 14,049 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect in 2010.
In Texas, one of every 98 children in the state was a confirmed victim of child abuse and neglect in 2010. Dallas had one of every 120 children, and the Metroplex had one of every 108 children.
Almost 75 percent of the confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect in Texas last year were younger than 10. Fifty-nine percent were younger than 6 years old.
More than 12,000 children in Texas were removed from their homes in 2010. Dallas County was the second highest total in the state with 1,005. A total of 2,118 of these children lived in the DFW Metroplex.
Last year in Texas, 29,072 children were in foster care – 2,202 in Dallas County and 4,598 in the Metroplex.
Dallas County has 166 foster, foster/adopt and adoptive homes. The Metroplex has 375.
Sources: Jonathan’s Place and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services 2010 Data Book.
