Methodology
Child Population

IMPORTANT NOTE: The following methodology may include references to report features not available on the public site version. On the public site, masking is performed to protect the privacy of individuals served by CDSS and comply with CDSS data de-identification guidelines. Values of 1 to 10 and calculations based on values of 1 to 10 are masked ('M' or '*'). In stratified views of the data, additional values (the lowest available) are masked to prevent calculation of values 1 to 10.

As of the Quarter 4, 2024 data extract, the Child Population annual counts for the years 2010-2019 have been updated with the CA Department of Finance Intercensal Population Estimates - California and its Counties Population by Age, Race/Hispanics, and Gender: 2010-2020.

These reports summarize the California Department of Finance annual population estimates and projection by county and by age, race/ethnicity, and gender. The child abuse allegation rates, investigation rates, substantiation rates, entry rates and foster care caseload in care rates data available in other reports on this website are based on these population data.

The following table details the specific population data sources by year:

Please note: due to rounding the sum of categories may not equal the total.

Cells containing a period (".") represent a value of zero. In cells representing quotients, a period may also indicate the indeterminate form 0/0.