Information and data about child welfare outcomes is available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau.

Additional information about state laws and policies related to child abuse and neglect are available from the Child Welfare Information Gateway. (Note: Information available from this resource may be different from information in the SCAN Policies Database due to the scope and timeframe of data collection. The SCAN Policies Database is based on the collection and review of publicly available statutes and documentation, plus documentation provided by state child welfare agencies.)

The SCAN Policies Database data files and supporting data use documentation are also available through the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN). Additional data file formats of the SCAN Policies Database are available from NDACAN.

The codebook provides information about each variable in the 2019 data set, including variable names, labels, definitions, protocol number, variable type, and frequencies.

The protocol has the questions used to collect information about states’ laws and policies for the 2021 data set.

The data user’s guide has detailed information about the data set for all years, including the process used to collect and review the data, the scope of information included in the data set, and guidance on using the data, including how to link the data with other data sources. Appendix A provides a glossary of key terms. Appendix B summarizes the decisions made on the scope and variables to include in the SCAN Policies Database. Appendix C summarizes the changes to data between the 2021 and 2023 data sets that reflect changes to state laws and policies during this time period.