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Kentucky has a child abuse and neglect problem.

Worst States for Abuse and Neglect

2021

  1. West Virginia

  2. Maine

  3. Massachusetts

  4. Iowa

  5. Alaska

  6. Kentucky

  7. Oklahoma

  8. New York

  9. Arkansas

  10. South Carolina

2020

  1. Maine

  2. Alaska

  3. West Virginia

  4. Massachusetts

  5. Kentucky

  6. Montana

  7. Oklahoma

  8. New Mexico

  9. New York

  10. Iowa

2019

  1. Kentucky

  2. West Virginia

  3. Massachusetts

  4. Maine

  5. Alaska

  6. New Mexico

  7. South Carolina

  8. New York

  9. Montana

  10. Iowa

2018

  1. Kentucky

  2. West Virginia

  3. Massachusetts

  4. Rhode Island

  5. Michigan

  6. South Carolina

  7. New York

  8. New Mexico

  9. Montana

  10. Indiana

Source: 2021 Child Maltreatment Report, released Feburary 2023

More than 50,000 children were in foster care in Kentucky between 2020 and 2022.

Source: Kids Count Data Center from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Nearly 1,600 children were victims in CASA of Lexington’s service area last year

There are ways to make things better.

An overwhelming majority of child maltreatment cases in Kentucky are due to neglect, rather than severe abuse.

In many cases, all a child and family may need to turn things around is someone who takes the time to understand their situation.

CASA volunteers often identify solutions others did not have the time or perspective to find.

CASA volunteers can alter the course of family court cases and forever change the trajectory of children’s lives.

You can’t fix the system by yourself. But you can help fix things for one child in need.

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 Ready to be part of the solution?

Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers typically spend about 5-10 hours a month volunteering. They work one case at a time, visiting the child or siblings on that case monthly, talking with adults in the child’s life, reviewing records and writing reports. Before they are matched with children in need, CASA volunteers complete a 30-hour training, pass background checks and observe family court. You can take the next step today by filling out a volunteer application.