News

Pennsylvania children under dependency court supervision

News Article

May 13, 2016

Pennsylvania court data shows that 18,339 children were under supervision of dependency court in 2014, with 45 percent of those children under court supervision for 12 months or less.

Dependency often results from a parent’s inability to provide for the child. If a judge finds that there are concerns for the child’s safety or other serious concerns, the child can be declared “dependent.” Dependent children receive regular reviews by a judge to ensure their safety and care regardless of their placement type.

Of those children under court supervision, 38 percent were placed in traditional foster care, and 48 percent were placed in kinship care (family and friends) or were able to safely remain at home. Sometimes, the judge determines it’s in the best interest of the child to remain in the home while the family addresses the court’s concerns.

The infographic below highlights some demographics and trends in Pennsylvania regarding dependent children in the courts. Download a high-resolution version of the graphic.

PA Courts InfoShare is a bi-weekly product of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) that visually highlights the work of the courts with interesting data and statistics obtained through the judiciary’s case management systems, interactive dashboards and other research. Reproduction is permissible with source cited.

 

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Media contact: Kimberly Bathgate, 717-231-3331