Form 1 SupStat NCANDS Attanchments

NCANDS OMB No. 0970-0424
Expiration Date: November 30, 2018
ATTACHMENT A
CAPTA EXCERPT
SEC. 106 GRANTS TO STATES FOR CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT PREVENTION
AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS [42 U.S.C. 5106a]
d.
ANNUAL STATE DATA REPORTS—Each State to which a grant is made under
this sections shall annually work with the Secretary to provide, to the maximum extent
practicable, a report that includes the following:
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 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. For child protective service personnel responsible for intake, screening,
assessment, and investigation of child abuse and neglect reports in the state—
(A) information on the education, qualifications, and training requirements
established by the state for child protective service professionals,

NCANDS OMB No. 0970-0424
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including for entry and advancement in the profession, including
advancement to supervisory positions;
(B) data of the education, qualifications, and training of such personnel;
(C) demographic information of the child protective service personnel; and
(D) information on caseload or workload requirements for such personnel,
including requirements for average number and maximum number of
cases per child protective service worker and supervisor.
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. The annual report containing the summary of activities of the citizen review
panels of the state required by subsection (c)(6).
14. The number of children under the care of the state child protection system who
are transferred into the custody of the state juvenile justice system.
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. 1431 et seq.).
with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et 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)
(C) for whom a referral was made for appropriate services, including services
for the affected family or caregiver, under subsection (b)(2)(B)(iii)

OMB No. 0970-0424
Expiration Date: November 30, 2018

Attachment B-1 Child File Data Elements
Field
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43

Child Data Element Long Name (Short Name)
I. REPORT DATA
Submission Year (SUBYR)
State/Territory (STATERR)
Report ID (RPTID)
Child ID (CHID)
County Of Investigation/Assessment (RPTCNTY)
Report Date (RPTDT)
Investigation Start Date (INVDATE)
Report Source (RPTSRC)
Report Disposition (RPTDISP)
Report Disposition Date (RPTDISDT)
Notifications (NOTIFS)
II. CHILD DATA
Child Age At Report (CHAGE)
Child Date Of Birth (CHBDATE)
Child Sex (CHSEX)
Child Race American Indian or Alaska Native (CHRACAI)
Child Race Asian (CHRACAS)
Child Race Black or African American (CHRACBL)
Child Race Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (CHRACNH)
Child Race White (CHRACWH)
Child Race Unable To Determine (CHRACUD)
Child Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity (CHETHN)
Child County Of Residence (CHCNTY)
Living Arrangement (CHLVNG)
Military Family Member (CHMIL)
Prior Victim (CHPRIOR)
III. MALTREATMENT DATA
Maltreatment-1 Type (CHMAL1) adding code “7= sex trafficked” to existing field
Maltreatment-1 Disposition Level (MAL1LEV)
Maltreatment-2 Type (CHMAL2) adding code “7= sex trafficked” to existing field
Maltreatment-2 Disposition Level (MAL2LEV)
Maltreatment-3 Type (CHMAL3) adding code “7= sex trafficked” to existing field
Maltreatment-3 Disposition Level (MAL3LEV)
Maltreatment-4 Type (CHMAL4) adding code “7= sex trafficked” to existing field
Maltreatment-4 Disposition Level (MAL4LEV)
Maltreatment Death (MALDEATH)
IV. CHILD RISK FACTOR DATA
Alcohol Abuse-Child (CDALC)
Drug Abuse-Child (CDDRUG)
Intellectual Disability-Child (CDRTRD)
Emotional Disturbance-Child (CDEMOTNL)
Visual Or Hearing Impairment-Child (CDVISUAL)
Learning Disability-Child (CDLEARN)
Physical Disability-Child (CDPHYS)
Behavior Problem-Child (CDBEHAV)
Other Medical Condition-Child (CDMEDICL)

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Field
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93

Child Data Element Long Name (Short Name)
V. CAREGIVER RISK FACTOR DATA
Alcohol Abuse-Caregiver(S) (FCALC)
Drug Abuse-Caregiver(S) (FCDRUG)
Intellectual Disability-Caregiver(S) (FCRTRD)
Emotional Disturbance-Caregiver(S) (FCEMOTNL)
Visual Or Hearing Impairment-Caregiver(S) (FCVISUAL)
Learning Disability-Caregiver(S) (FCLEARN)
Physically Disability-Caregiver(S) (FCPHYS)
Other Medical Condition-Caregiver(S) (FCMEDICL)
Domestic Violence (FCVIOL)
Inadequate Housing (FCHOUSE)
Financial Problem (FCMONEY)
Public Assistance (FCPUBLIC)
VI. SERVICES PROVIDED DATA
Post Investigation Services (POSTSERV)
Service Date (SERVDATE)
Family Support Services (FAMSUP)
Family Preservation Services (FAMPRES)
Foster Care Services (FOSTERCR)
Removal Date (RMVDATE)
Juvenile Court Petition (JUVPET)
Petition Date (PETDATE)
Court-Appointed Representative (COCHREP)
Adoption Services (ADOPT)
Case Management Services (CASEMANG)
Counseling Services (COUNSEL)
Daycare Services-Child (DAYCARE)
Educational And Training Services (EDUCATN)
Employment Services (EMPLOY)
Family Planning Services (FAMPLAN)
Health-Related And Home Health Services (HEALTH)
Home-Based Services (HOMEBASE)
Housing Services (HOUSING)
Independent And Transitional Living Services (TRANSLIV)
Information And Referral Services (INFOREF)
Legal Services (LEGAL)
Mental Health Services (MENTHLTH)
Pregnancy And Parenting Services For Young Parents (PREGPAR)
Respite Care Services (RESPITE)
Special Services-Disabilities (SSDISABL)
Special Services-Juvenile Delinquent (SSDELINQ)
Substance Abuse Services (SUBABUSE)
Transportation Services (TRANSPRT)
Other Services (OTHERSV)
VII. STAFF DATA
Worker ID (WRKRID)
Supervisor ID (SUPRVID)
VIII. PERPETRATORS DATA
Perpetrator-1 ID (PER1ID)
Perpetrator-1 Relationship (PER1REL)
Perpetrator-1 As A Parent (PER1PRNT)
Perpetrator-1 As A Caregiver (PER1CR)
Perpetrator-1 Age At Report (PER1AGE)
Perpetrator-1 Sex (PER1SEX)

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Field
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152

Child Data Element Long Name (Short Name)
Perpetrator-1 Race American Indian or Alaska Native (P1RACAI)
Perpetrator-1 Race Asian (P1RACAS)
Perpetrator-1 Race Black or African American (P1RACBL)
Perpetrator-1 Race Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (P1RACNH)
Perpetrator-1 Race White (P1RACWH)
Perpetrator-1 Race Unable To Determine (P1RACUD)
Perpetrator-1 Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity (PER1ETHN)
Perpetrator-1 Military Member (PER1MIL)
Perpetrator-1 Prior Abuser (PER1PIOR)
Perpetrator-1 Maltreatment-1 (PER1MAL1)
Perpetrator-1 Maltreatment-2 (PER1MAL2)
Perpetrator-1 Maltreatment-3 (PER1MAL3)
Perpetrator-1 Maltreatment-4 (PER1MAL4)
Perpetrator-2 Id (PER2ID)
Perpetrator-2 Relationship (PER2REL)
Perpetrator-2 As A Parent (PER2PRNT)
Perpetrator-2 As A Caregiver (PER2CR)
Perpetrator-2 Age At Report (PER2AGE)
Perpetrator-2 Sex (PER2SEX)
Perpetrator-2 Race American Indian or Alaska Native (P2RACAI)
Perpetrator-2 Race Asian (P2RACAS)
Perpetrator-2 Race Black or African American (P2RACBL)
Perpetrator-2 Race Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (P2RACNH)
Perpetrator-2 Race White (P2RACWH)
Perpetrator-2 Race Unable To Determine (P2RACUD)
Perpetrator-2 Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity (PER2ETHN)
Perpetrator-2 Military Member (PER2MIL)
Perpetrator-2 Prior Abuser (PER2PIOR)
Perpetrator-2 Maltreatment-1 (PER2MAL1)
Perpetrator-2 Maltreatment-2 (PER2MAL2)
Perpetrator-2 Maltreatment-3 (PER2MAL3)
Perpetrator-2 Maltreatment-4 (PER2MAL4)
Perpetrator-3 Id (PER3ID)
Perpetrator-3 Relationship (PER3REL)
Perpetrator-3 As A Parent (PER3PRNT)
Perpetrator-3 As A Caregiver (PER3CR)
Perpetrator-3 Age At Report (PER3AGE)
Perpetrator-3 Sex (PER3SEX)
Perpetrator-3 Race American Indian or Alaska Native (P3RACAI)
Perpetrator-3 Race Asian (P3RACAS)
Perpetrator-3 Race Black or African American (P3RACBL)
Perpetrator-3 Race Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (P3RACNH)
Perpetrator-3 Race White (P3RACWH)
Perpetrator-3 Race Unable To Determine (P3RACUD)
Perpetrator-3 Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity (PER3ETHN)
Perpetrator-3 Military Member (PER3MIL)
Perpetrator-3 Prior Abuser (PER3PIOR)
Perpetrator-3 Maltreatment-1 (PER3MAL1)
Perpetrator-3 Maltreatment-2 (PER3MAL2)
Perpetrator-3 Maltreatment-3 (PER3MAL3)
Perpetrator-3 Maltreatment-4 (PER3MAL4)
IX. ADDITIONAL FIELDS
AFCARS ID (AFCARSID)
Incident Date (INCIDDT)
Report Time (RPTTM)
Investigation Start Time (INVSTRTM)
Date of Death (DEATHDT)
Foster Care Discharge Date (FCDCHDT)
Has A Safe Care Plan
Referral to CARA-Related Services

NCANDS OMB No. 0970-0424
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1.0

ATTACHEMNT B-2 CHILD FILE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The Child File contains records of case-level data on children (victims and nonvictims) who are the subject
of a report of alleged child abuse or neglect. The Child File consists of child records, each record having
the same format. Each child record contains information about only one child, in addition to information
about the associated abuse report. For each child record, there are numerous data elements grouped into
various data categories (e.g., all child demographics are grouped into the Child Data section).
States are encouraged to sort the Child File by report identifier (report ID) then child identifier (child ID)
before submission. This sort places the report IDs in order and all children with a given report would then
appear sequentially in the file. This simplifies the process of viewing records in the original file, if needed.
This section explains how the state creates the Child File. This includes describing the structure of the
file, the data records in the file, the data elements in the records, and the procedures used for constructing
the data file. For each submission period, the state submits the Child File, the Agency File, and the State
Commentary.
The data collection year for a given submission period follows the FFY, October 1 through September 30.
All Reports with a Disposition Date within that 12-month-period are submitted.

1.1.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS OF THE CHILD FILE

Reports, Records, R-C pairs, and the Child File
When a reporting source contacts a CPS agency with an allegation of child abuse, the agency decides to
investigate or assess the allegation. If the agency decides to open the case, the agency creates a new report
or incident within their computer system and identifies the report with Report ID. Each child in the report
is identified with a Child ID, newly assigned if the child is new to the system, or identical to the existing
child identifier if the child has previously been in the system. The information collected about a given
child in this unique report will create one NCANDS record in the Child File. There may have been multiple
children reported at the same time by the reporting source. If there were three children in the report, there
would be three records in the Child File with the same Report ID.
Each of the records should be the same length, with the exact number of blank characters being used to
replace any data fields where data are not available. Each of the records must conform to the record layout
for the NCANDS Child File, where each field in the record layout has a fixed length, as defined in
Attachment B-1 Child File Data Elements. There should be a delimiter at the end of each record.
The Child File is a “text” file, also referred to as an American Standard Code for Information Interchange
(ASCII) file. The Child File for a given state for a given year consists of file records, just like any other
ASCII computer file.
Because a given child may appear in the Child File in more than one report, it is necessary to be able to
associate the child with the various reports. This is accomplished by having both the Report ID and the
Child ID in each record. The combination of the report ID and the child ID together identifies a reportchild pair (R-C pair) or event and forms the unique primary key field of the Child File. The data associated
with an R-C pair represent all of the information about the allegations concerning that child in this report.
Victims, Nonvictims, and the Report Disposition
A child record allows for recording up to four of the five NCANDS maltreatment types: physical abuse,
neglect, medical neglect, sexual abuse, and psychological maltreatment. Each of the four maltreatment
types has an associated maltreatment level to record whether the alleged maltreatments were:
substantiated, indicated, alternative response victim, alternative response nonvictim, unsubstantiated,

unsubstantiated due to intentionally false reporting, closed-no finding, or no alleged maltreatment. One
child in a report could have only one alleged maltreatment and another child in the same report could have
up to four alleged maltreatments recorded.
Every record in the Child File represents a child who can be classified as a victim or a nonvictim for the
given R-C pair. The determination of whether or not a child is a victim is computed from the information
in the record. A child may be a victim in one report and not be a victim in another report. For any given
R-C pair, being a victim or not depends upon the four maltreatment levels linked to the four maltreatment
types and the maltreatment death field. A child is a victim in the R-C pair if any of the maltreatment level
fields are coded as substantiated or indicated. A child is also a victim in the R-C pair if the maltreatment
death field is “yes.” A child is classified as a victim or nonvictim based on only that child’s maltreatment
levels, not other children in the same report, so a child can be classified as a victim in a report even when
all the other children are classified as nonvictims. The report disposition, however, is computed for all
children in the report.
Each report in the Child File has a report disposition. The report disposition is a computable value,
dependent upon all of the children in the report and their four maltreatment levels. The report disposition
is computed based on the maltreatment level code values across all the maltreatment levels in the entire
report. Reports in which the lowest numeric (most severe) maltreatment level code value is, 01Substantiated, are assigned a 01-dubstantiated report disposition; reports in which the lowest numeric
maltreatment level code value is, 02-indicated, are assigned a 02-indicated report disposition, etc. The
rules associated with the computation of the Report Disposition are referred to as disposition hierarchy
rules.

To assist the state in better understanding their data with respect to the computation of the report
disposition, Exhibit 1 indicates the appropriate Report Disposition based on the maltreatment
levels in a given report. The NCANDS Website applies a rule to the Child File to detect
noncompliance to these hierarchy rules.
Exhibit 1 Disposition Hierarchy Rules
If the lowest Maltreatment Level code for any child within the
same report is:
01 Substantiated
02 Indicated (no child has a substantiated mallevel)

The Report Disposition is:
01 Substantiated
02 Indicated

03

Alternative response victim
(no child has a 01 or 02 mallevel )

03

Alternative response victim

04

Alternative response nonvictim
(no child has 01–03 mallevel)

04

Alternative response-nonvictim

05

Unsubstantiated
(no child has 01–04 mallevel)

05

Unsubstantiated

06

Unsubstantiated Due to Intentionally False Reporting
(no child has 01–05 mallevel)

06

Unsubstantiated Due to Intentionally False
Reporting

07

Closed-No Finding
(no child has 01–06)

07

Closed-No Finding

08

No Alleged Maltreatment
Does not determine the report disposition.

NA

88
99

Other (No child has 01–07)
Unknown (No child 01–07 or 88)

88
99

Other
Unknown

Significant Data Errors
This section discusses several important error conditions that a state should take steps to avoid. The error
conditions include the following:
•

•

•
•

•

•

A child cannot be associated more than once with the same report. A child ID cannot be
associated more than once with the same report ID. In other words, a Child File record cannot
have the same combination of report ID-child ID as any other Child File record. If this condition
occurs, all records with the same report ID-child ID are deleted during validation.
Each record, which represents a report ID-child ID pair, should not have all blank
maltreatment levels and maltreatment types. Because the status of a child is determined by the
maltreatment levels associated with the child for a specific report, the child, whether found to be
a victim of maltreatment or not, should have at least one maltreatment type and one maltreatment
level. A child record with no maltreatment types or levels will be removed.
The report disposition should not be incorrectly associated with the maltreatment levels of all
children associated with the report. For example, a substantiated report must have at least one
child with a substantiated maltreatment.
Reports with dispositions that are alternative response victim, alternative response nonvictim,
unsubstantiated, unsubstantiated due to intentionally false reporting, closed-no finding, other, or
unknown or missing cannot have any perpetrator data associated with any of the records with the
same report ID. If this error is found, all perpetrator data are deleted during validation.
A perpetrator cannot have all perpetrator maltreatment fields coded as “no.” If this error is
found, all data associated with that perpetrator in the specific record are deleted during validation.
If the perpetrator is not positively linked to any of the maltreatments, the state should not provide
perpetrator data.
Investigation and Assessment maltreatment levels are not allowed within a single report. If
this error is detected, the entire report will be removed from the file. The maltreatment level of
“No Alleged Maltreatment” can be used in a report with either an investigation or assessment.

Submitting Available State Data
All states are encouraged to submit data for all fields in the Child File
States should examine carefully the logic on all fields that are extracted from their state child welfare
information systems. The value distribution reports found on the NCANDS Website are helpful tools in
making these assessments. Data elements that have non-representative aggregated counts should be
further examined. The data maps are also useful tools in resolving data problems. If the problem cannot
be resolved, the state should consider not reporting on that specific data element and provide written
commentary regarding that specific field. The state should also seek assistance from the NCANDS
Technical Team via telephone or email to identify and resolve problems.
Child File Validation Rules
The data in all Child Files are validated with the NCANDS Website and used by the states and by the
NCANDS Technical Team. There are business rules which govern how this validation process is
accomplished. With many of the business rules, there are associated consequences if the application of
the rule fails. An example of a business rule is “A coded field must have a valid NCANDS code.” The
associated consequence would be “A Type B error will be logged and the field will be blanked.”
There are several levels of consequences related to the validation rules. Minor consequences will involve
noting the error and taking no action. At times, the error detected in the field will require the entire record
to be dropped from the file. The most severe consequences will necessitate dropping all records associated
with that report ID from the file.

1.2.

OVERVIEW OF THE CHILD FILE RECORD

Each record in the Child File allows for the reporting of information about a child associated with a report
of alleged child abuse or neglect. All of the data elements in the record are grouped into these data sections,
including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Report Data (characteristics)
Child Data (demographics)
Maltreatment Data
Child Risk Factors (disabilities, problems, etc.)
Caregiver Risk Factors (disabilities, problems, etc.)
Services Provided (to the child/family)
Staff Data
Perpetrator Data (demographics, maltreatment data)
Additional Fields

A complete list of the data elements within these categories can be found in Attachment B–1 Child File
Data Elements.
Report Data
The Report Data section (fields 1–11) contains the two identifying fields (submission year and state ID)
and general information about the report. The first identifying field for the record is the report ID. The
second identifying field for the record is the child ID. All remaining fields in the Report Data section are
attributes related to the report ID. If a report involves multiple children, the Report Data fields, except for
the child ID, are identical on each record containing the same report ID. For example, if there were three
children in the report, the data in the entire report Data section would be identical for all three child
records, except for the three different child IDs.
Child Data
The Child Data section (fields 12–25) contains general information about the specific child in the record.
All fields in this section are attributes related to the child ID. The state should always submit data for all
data sections through the Staff Data section (fields 1–87). Data for the Perpetrators section (fields 88–
144) should be submitted only if the child in the record is a substantiated or indicated victim. For these
victims, all fields in the record would then be submitted (fields 1–150).
Maltreatment Data
The fields in the Maltreatment Data section (fields 26–34) include information about maltreatment types
and maltreatment disposition levels. Up to four allegations of maltreatment are coded with the decision
regarding the allegation. The maltreatment death field is also included in this section as it is a contributor
in determining the child victim status.
Child Risk Factors
The fields in the Child Risk Factors section (fields 35–43) indicate whether the child suffered from one
or more disabilities or problems.
Caregiver Risk Factors
The fields in the Caregiver Risk Factors section (fields 44–55) indicate whether the child's family or
caregiver(s) suffered from one or more disabilities or problems. Additional family or caregiver fields in
this section include information on the living environment of the child, which might affect the child or
place the child at risk for maltreatment.
Services Provided
The fields in the Services Data section (fields 56–85) contain information about services, which are
provided for the child or family. Postresponse services should be reported if they are delivered between

the report date and 90 days after the report disposition date and would include: family preservation, family
support, foster care and other services listed in the Child File record layout. A service must continue after
the report disposition date to be counted as a post-response service. A service can start at any time prior
to the report disposition date provided it is associated with the CPS response.
Staff Data
The fields in the Staff Data section (fields 86–87) contain identification information about the CPS worker
and the CPS worker's supervisor who were associated with the child on the date of the report disposition.
Perpetrator Data
The fields in the Perpetrator Data section (fields 88–144) allow for the submission of information on a
maximum of three persons who are found to be perpetrators of maltreatment. If the child has not been
found to be a substantiated or indicated victim of maltreatment, the Perpetrator Data section is left blank.
The four perpetrator maltreatment fields for each perpetrator should be linked by the state to the four sets
of maltreatment type and maltreatment disposition level fields reported for the child victim (fields 26–
33).
Additional Fields
New data fields are added at the end of the Child File record, in a section called Additional Fields. The
most recent addition occurred in FFY 2013 when several date and time fields were added.

1.3.

TYPES OF CHILD RECORD FIELDS

The various types of fields in the child record are described below. In all cases, each of the data fields
have a fixed length and if the state has no value for a given field, the field should be filled with the
appropriate number of blank characters.
Identifier Field
The identifier fields in the record are:
•
•
•
•
•
•

report ID
child ID
worker ID
supervisor ID
perpetrator ID
AFCARS ID

Each identifier field is alphanumeric and 12 characters long with no blanks. Each of these identifiers is to
be encrypted by the state. The report ID, the child ID, and AFCARS ID are required identifier fields and
all child records submitted must contain these data fields. Perpetrator identifiers must be included if
perpetrator data are present for a given perpetrator.
Alphabetic Field
An alphabetic field only contains alphabetic characters (e.g., the state/territory field, AZ). The field length
is as specified in the record layout.
Alphanumeric Field
An alphanumeric field only contains alphabetic, numeric, or a mixture of the two types (e.g., the report
ID field). The field length is as specified in the record layout.
Numeric Field
A numeric field only contains numeric characters (e.g., coded fields). The field length is as specified in

the record layout.
Date Field
A date field is a numeric field exactly eight characters in length. The field should be in the “mmddyyyy”
format where “mm” = month, “dd” = day, and “yyyy” = year. It is important that a date field contain a
valid date and not a pseudo-date. An example of a pseudo-date would be setting the day to zeros
(“01002003”) or the year to nines (“01019999”) because the exact date is not known. Pseudo-dates are
invalid in the file. Listed here are rules to follow when the exact date is unknown:
•
•

Choose the 15th or 30th of the month when the exact date is not known.
Choose the closest month to the report or June when the exact month is not known.

The state should consult with an NCANDS Technical Team member on date rules if the state plans to
submit estimated or proxy dates for any date fields.

1.4.

CHILD RECORD CODED FIELDS

Many of the data fields in the child record are coded fields. Any data value submitted in each coded field
needs to match one of the specified NCANDS values for that field. NCANDS utilizes the following
common coding conventions consistently throughout the child record.
Blanks = Not collected/Not applicable
If information for a given field or section is not collected by the state, the state would place blanks in the
field (e.g., if the state does not collect perpetrator age, the field would be left blank). The number of blanks
inserted for the field is identical to the specified field length.
If information for a given field or section is not applicable, the state would place blanks in that field (e.g.,
if only one maltreatment type is collected, maltreatment types 2, 3 and 4 are left blank). The number of
blanks inserted for the field is identical to the specified field length.
8 or 88 = Other
The 8 or 88 code would be used when the NCANDS code values do not adequately describe the state’s
code value (e.g., if the state cannot map a certain maltreatment type into the NCANDS code values, the
code 8 is used to indicate “other” Maltreatment Type).
9 or 99 = Unknown
The 9 or 99 code is used if the state captures and stores the information on a routine basis, but the data
were not captured or were missing for the given record (e.g., the perpetrator age was not determined during
the investigation). Do not use blank in these instances. Blanks are only used for fields in which data are
not captured.
1 = Yes, 2 = No
For fields requiring a yes or no response, the values of 1 = yes and 2 = no are used consistently across all
fields. The state should not use blanks in combination with yes or no for these fields.

1.5.

CHILD FILE AND CHILD RECORD LAYOUT

The following file and record layout information is basic with respect to submitting the Child File:
•
•
•

The Child File is submitted to NCANDS as a single, flat text file with no relational data structure.
The file only consists of child records, each record referring to data associated with one child
within a given report.
A child record is uniquely defined by the linking of the report ID of the record to the child ID of

•
•
•

1.6.

the record. This is commonly referred to as the report-child pair, the R-C pair, or the event, where
a unique R-C pair represents a single child record in the submission file. However, a given child
may appear in multiple reports.
Each record consists of the 150 fields as defined in Attachment B–1 Child File Data Elements.
The total child record length is 336 characters. The record layout is the same for all records in the
data file.
A delimiter should be inserted at the end of each record for the data file to be read by the
Validation Program.
Although not a requirement, it is helpful to sort the file in ascending order by the child ID within
the report ID (e.g., the file is sorted ascending based on the R-C pair), allowing for easier reference
to the original records.

STEPS IN PREPARING THE CHILD FILE

Additional guidance for the state IT staff, both new and experienced, is presented below.
•
•
•
•

•
•
•

Obtain and review the state’s current mapping forms.
Become familiar with the design, logic, coding, and operation of the state Child File data
extraction program.
Become familiar with the state identifier encryption methodology, for NCANDS and AFCARS.
Review all state computer system changes of the past year.
o For changes relevant to the Child File production:
 Update the mapping forms with the changes for the specific fields.
 Submit the modified mapping forms to the NCANDS Team for review.
Modify and test the Child File data extraction program as specified in the modified mapping
forms. For changes not relevant to the Child File production, no modifications to the Child File
data extraction program are needed.
Generate the Child File using the data extraction program.
Submit the Child File to NCANDS via the NCANDS Website.

The greatest assistance to the computer programming staff of the state will be the completed mapping
forms, which contain the detailed specifications of how each data element in the Child File is to be
retrieved from the state database. Following the instructions listed above will allow for the most thorough
creation and maintenance of the computer programs needed to generate the Child File.

1.7.

CHILD FILE EXTRACTION COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CONSIDERATIONS

The following information is provided for the state computer programming staff to assist in the
development of the state Child File Data Extraction Program. Although many of the conversion operations
will be relatively straightforward, the following eight topics will require special programming attention:
1. The Child File is generated via the execution of the state-prepared computer program, typically
designed from the state completed Child File mapping forms.
2. The Child File is a fixed-length record file. All field and record lengths in this file must be strictly
followed. The column positions of each field in the child record must be strictly followed. The
data submitted by the state are delimited. A delimiter is inserted after column 336 in each record.
3. Fields being submitted with no data in them should always contain blank information, containing
the exact number of blanks to match the length of the field.
4. Special care must be taken with the AFCARS ID field. For a given child, the value that is placed
into the NCANDS AFCARS ID field must be the same value that the state uses or would use for
the Record Number of the AFCARS File for that specific child. The AFCARS ID field must be

5.

6.

7.

8.

encrypted using the AFCARS Encryption Tool with the same encryption algorithm as is used for
the Record Number field in the state AFCARS file. The state may find it beneficial to utilize the
AFCARS Encryption Tool for all encryption needs in the NCANDS record. Care should also be
taken in all of the encryption processing so the AFCARS ID is not double encrypted (an
encryption of an encrypted ID).
No report ID, child ID, worker ID, supervisor ID, perpetrator ID, or AFCARS ID is to be
transferred directly into the child record from the state database. These identifiers should be
encrypted in some manner to protect the actual identity of the individual. The state should use the
same encryption method consistently from year to year.
If the state algorithm for generating the report ID, child ID, worker ID, supervisor ID, perpetrator
ID, or AFCARS ID does not deliver a full NCANDS length field, the identifier field should be
left-filled with zeroes to provide the exact number of characters needed for the field.
The state Child File data extraction program should adhere strictly to the state's defined
specification in the mapping forms. Deviations from the mapping specification could result in
validation errors. The mapping forms list all error conditions associated with each specific field.
As mentioned earlier, it is a good policy to sort the Child File sequentially by R-C pairs (i.e., child
ID within report ID).

OMB No. 0970-0424
Expiration Date: November 30, 2018

Attachment C-1 Agency File Data Elements
Field
1.1.A-C
1.1.A-F
1.1.B-C
1.1.B-F
1.1.C-C
1.1.C-F
1.1.D-C
1.1.D-F
1.1.E-C
1.1.E-F
2.1.A
2.1.B
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5

3.1

3.2
3.3

3.4

3.5

4.1
4.2

Agency Summary Data Element Long Name (Short Name)
1. PREVENTIVE SERVICES
Children Funding Source: Child Abuse and Neglect State Grant (PSSTGTC)
Families Funding Source: Child Abuse and Neglect State Grant (PSSTGTF)
Children Funding Source: Community-Based Prevention of Child Abuse and
Neglect Grant (PSCOSPC)
Families Funding Source: Community-Based Prevention of Child Abuse and
Neglect Grant (PSCOSPF)
Children Funding Source: Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program
(PSTLIVBC)
Families Funding Source: Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program
(PSTLIVBF)
Children Funding Source: Social Services Block Grant (PSTLXXC)
Families Funding Source: Social Services Block Grant (PSTLXXF)
Children Funding Source: Other (PSOTHERC)
Families Funding Source: Other (PSOTHERF)
2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON REFERRALS AND REPORTS
Number of Referrals Screened Out (SCRNRPT)
Number of Children Screened Out (SCRNCHLD)
Response Time with Respect to the Initial Investigation or Assessment
(WKARTIME)
Number of Staff Responsible for CPS Functions (Screening, Intake, and
Investigation/Assessment of Reports) During the Year (WKSIIA)
Number of Staff Responsible for the Screening and Intake of Reports During the
Year (WKSI)
Number of screened-out referrals from healthcare providers involved in the
delivery or care of infants and who referred such infants born with and identified as
being affected by illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from
prenatal drug exposure, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

3. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CHILD VICTIMS REPORTED IN CHILD FILE
Child Victims (substantiated, indicated or alternative response victim) Whose
Families Received Family Preservation Services in the Previous Five Years
(FPS5Y)
Child Victims (substantiated, indicated or alternative response victim) Who Were
Reunited with Their Families in the Previous Five Years (FRU5Y)
Average Number of Out-of-Court Contacts Between the Court-Appointed
Representatives and the Child Victims (substantiated, indicated or alternative
response victim) They Represent (COCONT)
Child Victims (substantiated, indicated or alternative response victim) Who Died
as a Result of Maltreatment and Whose Families Had Received Family
Preservation Services in the Previous Five Years (FTLFPSCF)
Child Victims (substantiated, indicated or alternative response victim) Who Died
as a Result of Maltreatment and Had Been Reunited with Their Families in the
Previous Five Years (FTLCRUCF)
4. INFORMATION ON CHILD FATALITIES NOT REPORTED IN CHILD FILE

Child Maltreatment Fatalities Not Reported in the Child File (FATALITY)
Child Victims Who Died as a Result of Maltreatment While in Foster Care Not
Reported in the Child File (FATALFC)
4.3
Child Victims Who Died as a Result of Maltreatment and Whose Families Had
Received Family Preservation Services in the Previous Five Years Not Reported
in the Child File (FATALFPS)
4.4
Child Victims Who Died as a Result of Maltreatment and Had Been Reunited
with Their Families in the Previous Five Years Not Reported in the Child File
(FATALCRU)
5. INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT PART C
5.1
Children (Substantiated or Indicated) Eligible for Referral-Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEAELIG)
5.2
Children (Substantiated or Indicated) Referred-Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEAREF)

NCANDS OMB No. 0970-0424
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1.0

ATTACHMENT C–2 AGENCY FILE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Aggregated data from the Agency File are submitted electronically online. The automated aggregate data
collection capability is referred to as the Agency Data Collection System. It enables the state to enter,
review, comment upon, and save the data directly on the NCANDS Website.

1.1.

SUBMITTING AGENCY DATA TO NCANDS TUTORIAL

All files submitted to NCANDS will be transmitted from the state via the NCANDS Website. The
NCANDS Website is an online secure collaboration website which can be used by states to validate,
submit and track the status of NCANDS files. Each state has a secured private site on the NCANDS
Website. No other state has access to a given state’s site and its contents. The NCANDS Technical Team
also has access to the state’s secured site. The Team member can transfer state files from the site or place
files in the site for the state to download. Use the following steps to navigate to the state Agency Data
Collection System:
1. From the Site Navigation Bar, select Agency File from the NCANDS Data dropdown menu.

Follow these steps to submit Agency Data:
1. Select the appropriate Year and Data Period of the data being submitted from the two dropdown
menus.

NCANDS OMB No. 0970-0424
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2. Click through the tabs and begin entering your Agency File data into each of the respective
current year dialog boxes. Move your mouse over the black chat bubbles next to each field name
to obtain more information about the item.

NCANDS OMB No. 0970-0424
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3. The prior year accepted Agency File submission is available in the left most column, and as
current year data is entered into each field, the difference between the two is calculated in the
right most column. If there was a previous submission of current year data, it will also be
displayed.
4. If the difference between the most recent submission and the prior year data exceeds
predetermined thresholds, comments are required to explain this discrepancy before the state may
submit their data for review. Other comments explaining the data are also welcome.
5. Click Save to save the information. The save process allows you to enter and save data during
multiple sessions (i.e., data can be entered and saved as they become available for different
sessions before the final submission). Indication that the Agency component has successfully
saved displays at the top of the screen.
6. Select Export to File to save the Agency File with entered data as a PDF, Excel Worksheet,
PowerPoint Presentation, or Word Document.
7. When you have finished entering data and are ready for it to be reviewed by your NCANDS
Technical Team Liaison, select Save and then Submit for Review. Note that remaining data
errors, if any, display at the top of the page and must be reconciled before the submission can be
processed. If you are unsure of how to proceed, contact your NCANDS Technical Team Liaison
for guidance.
After the user has submitted the data, the NCANDS Technical Team will review them. If the data are
found to have no errors or an acceptable number of errors, the data submission will be recommended for
acceptance by the Administration for Youth and Families. Otherwise, a request for a data resubmission
will be made. Resubmission requests and notifications of acceptance will both be sent to the state’s
Primary Contacts by their NCANDS Technical Team Liaison and by the NCANDS Website itself. To
resubmit the data, follow the steps (see Step 2 above) for modifying the data or providing further
comments.