Kentucky’s child abuse rate has increased, according to the latest national report, with the commonwealth now nearly doubling the national child abuse rate.

Published: March 27, 2025

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Kentucky’s child abuse rate has increased, according to the latest national report, with the commonwealth now nearly doubling the national child abuse rate.

The “Child Maltreatment 2023” report, released this year by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Children’s Bureau, found the rate of child maltreatment victims in Kentucky was 14.2 per 1,000 children. That means about 14 out of every 1,000 children in Kentucky experienced some form of abuse or neglect during 2023.

Indiana’s rate is slightly lower than Kentucky’s, at 11.5 victims out of every 1,000 children. Both states’ child maltreatment victimization rates are higher than the national average, which is 7.4 per 1,000 children. Kentucky and Indiana hold the fourth and fourteenth highest child maltreatment victimization rates in the country, respectively.

The report found most child victims in Kentucky, Indiana and nationally were younger than age 1. Indiana holds the highest rate in the nation for abuse and neglect victims younger than age 1 — at about 52 infants per 1,000.

More work to do

Norton Children’s specialists who work with abuse victims believe Kentucky has a lot of room for improvement, noting the commonwealth appears to be far outside the national average in most categories of the child maltreatment report.

In particular, Kentucky falls behind in protecting babies who’ve had prenatal substance exposure, which is when a person uses alcohol or illicit drugs while pregnant. States are required by federal law to create plans of safe care for substance-exposed babies that are set in place for when they leave the hospital after birth.

“It may be placing the child with an alternate caregiver, but more often the infant will remain with the mother, and there’s a plan in place for supportive services in the home, closer monitoring by community supports and other things of that nature,” said Melissa L. Currie, M.D., child abuse pediatrician and medical director of Norton Children’s Pediatric Protection Specialists. “The percent here in Kentucky for substance-exposed babies with plans of safe care is 20.7%, while the national average is 72.1%. That, to me, is one of the biggest findings of this year’s report.” 

Kentucky also has the eighth highest rate of caregivers with substance use disorders — nearly 40% compared with the national average of about 25%.

“Substance use continues to be a huge issue,” Dr. Currie said. “It is concerning to see the state is so far outside the average in this area, although it certainly isn’t a surprise to those of us working directly with children and their families.”

How to prevent child abuse

While child abuse remains a persistent problem, doctors have tips on how community members can help prevent it.

“Everyone has a role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect. Research has found that when families are stressed, children are at higher risk of being abused,” said Kelly L. Dauk, M.D., chair, Norton Children’s Hospital Child Abuse Task Force and pediatric hospitalist with Norton Children’s Inpatient Care. “Even a small gesture for an overwhelmed family, like offering to grocery shop or babysit for an hour or two can make a difference. When families are supported, the risk of child abuse decreases.”

Here are some ways parents and bystanders can make a lifesaving difference:

• If you feel yourself about to lose control with a child, it’s OK to step away. Listen to your favorite song, take a few deep breaths or call a friend.
• If you’re a parent of a newborn, sleep when your baby sleeps. You and your baby both need rest! Make that a priority.
• Learn everything you can about child development and what you should expect at each age.  For example, infants cry for several hours a day, this is how they communicate. It is not a sign of them being “bad” or “spoiled”.
• Keep a list of friends’ and family members’ phone numbers to call for support.
• If you know a parent who may be feeling stressed, offer to babysit so they can have a break for an hour or two.
• Offer to run an errand for a neighbor with small children who has difficulty getting out of the house. A small gesture like that can greatly reduce stress for the parent.
• If you see someone about to raise a hand to a child, you can help the situation. Even saying something like, “I remember when my child acted like that,” can break the tension and protect the child.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. In Kentucky, the number to call to report suspected child abuse is (877) KY-SAFE1 (597-2331). The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, (800) 4-A-CHILD (422-4453), offers professional crisis counselors who can provide intervention, information and referrals to emergency, social service and support resources. Calls are confidential. In Kentucky, everyone is mandated to report a reasonable suspicion that maltreatment has occurred. Reporting child abuse and neglect is the right thing to do, and it’s the law.

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