Foster Care Statistics 2014
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Foster Care Statistics 2015 This factsheet provides the most recent national statistical estimates for children and youth in foster care from fiscal year (FY) 2015 and also provides earlier data from FY 2006 to allow for some estimate of trends over time. Data were obtained from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), which collects information on (1) all children in foster care for whom State child welfare agencies have responsibility for placement, care, or supervision and (2) all children who are adopted with public child welfare agency involvement. The data presented for FY 2015 are from The AFCARS Report: Preliminary FY 2015 Estimates as of June 2016 (23) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2016), available at https://www.acf. hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport23.pdf. Data presented for FY 2006 are from The AFCARS Report: Preliminary FY 2006 Estimates as of January 2008 (14) (HHS, 2007), allowing for an examination of trends over a period of 10 years. 1 The 2006 report is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ cb/afcarsreport14.pdf. 1 The FY 2006 preliminary report includes data from States’ regular and revised submissions that were received by the Children’s Bureau by January 2008. Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS 800.394.3366 | Email: [email protected] | https://www.childwelfare.gov NUMBERS AND TRENDS March 2017 WHAT’S INSIDE Children in, entering, and exiting care Placement settings Case plan goals Outcomes Length of stay Age Race and ethnicity Gender Additional information References
Transcript of Foster Care Statistics 2014
Foster Care Statistics 2015This factsheet provides the most recent national statistical estimates for children and youth in foster care from fiscal year (FY) 2015 and also provides earlier data from FY 2006 to allow for some estimate of trends over time. Data were obtained from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), which collects information on (1) all children in foster care for whom State child welfare agencies have responsibility for placement, care, or supervision and (2) all children who are adopted with public child welfare agency involvement. The data presented for FY 2015 are from The AFCARS Report: Preliminary FY 2015 Estimates as of June 2016 (23) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2016), available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport23.pdf. Data presented for FY 2006 are from The AFCARS Report: Preliminary FY 2006 Estimates as of January 2008 (14) (HHS, 2007), allowing for an examination of trends over a period of 10 years.1 The 2006 report is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport14.pdf.
1 TheFY2006preliminaryreportincludesdatafromStates’regularandrevisedsubmissionsthatwerereceivedbytheChildren’sBureaubyJanuary2008.
Children’sBureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS800.394.3366|Email:[email protected]|https://www.childwelfare.gov
NUMBERS AND TRENDS
March 2017
WHAT’S INSIDE
Childrenin,entering,andexitingcare
Placementsettings
Caseplangoals
Outcomes
Lengthofstay
Age
Raceandethnicity
Gender
Additionalinformation
References
AFCARSusesthedefinitionoffostercarefoundintheCodeofFederalRegulations(CFR),whereitisdefinedas“24-hoursubstitutecareforchildrenoutsidetheirownhomes.”2Fostercaresettingsinclude,butarenotlimitedto,nonrelativefosterfamilyhomes,relativefosterhomes(whetherpaymentsarebeingmadeornot),grouphomes,emergencyshelters,residentialfacilities,andpreadoptivehomes.
Withineachsectionofthisreport,dataestimatesarepresentedforthethreetimeframesdetailedbelow:
� Point in Timereferstoinformationaboutthepopulationofchildreninfostercareonagivenday:September30,theendoftheFederalFY.
� Entries referstoinformationaboutchildrenenteringfostercareduringagiventimeframe:October1throughSeptember30(i.e.,theFederalFY).
� Exitsreferstoinformationaboutchildrenexitingfostercareduringagiventimeframe:October1throughSeptember30(i.e.,theFederalFY).
Childrenwhoexitandreentermultipletimesinayeararecountedonlyonce.DuetoroundingoftheoriginalAFCARSsourcedataandtomissingdata,somepercentagesdonotaddupto100percent,ortheestimatednumbersdonotadduptothetotalnumberinthecategory.
2 Title45,Volume4,Part1355,Section57.TheCFRcitationcanbeaccessedonlineathttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title45-vol4/pdf/CFR-2012-title45-vol4-part1355.pdf.
Key Findings� OnSeptember30,2015,therewereanestimated427,910childreninfostercare(exhibit1).
� OnSeptember30,2015,morethanaquarter(30percent)wereinrelativehomes,andnearlyhalf(45percent)wereinnonrelativefosterfamilyhomes(exhibit2).
� OnSeptember30,2015,abouthalf(55percent)hadacasegoalofreunificationwiththeirparentsorprimarycaretakers(exhibit3).
� Abouthalf(51percent)ofthechildrenwholeftfostercareinFY2015weredischargedtobereunitedwiththeirparentsorprimarycaretakers(exhibit4).
� Closetohalfofthechildren(45percent)wholeftfostercareinFY2015wereincareforlessthan1year(exhibit5).
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
2Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Children In, Entering, and Exiting CareThesenumbersgiveabroadpictureofthenumberofchildreninfostercareduringFY2015.
� Point in Time. OnSeptember30,2015,therewereanestimated427,910childreninfostercare.
� Entries. DuringFY2015,269,509childrenenteredfostercare.
� Exits.DuringFY2015,243,060childrenexitedfostercare.
� Trends. ThenumberofchildreninfostercareonSeptember30,2015,(427,910)remainslowerthanthoseincareonthesamedayin2006(510,000).However,FY2015sawanincreaseinthesenumbersascomparedtoFY2014(415,129).
243,060
269,509
427,910
289,000
303,000
510,000
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000
Exits
Entries
Point in Time
Exhibit 1: Numbers of Children In, Entering, and Exiting Foster Care FY 2006 and FY 2015
2006
2015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
3Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Placement SettingsChildreninfostercareliveinavarietyofplacementsettingsandmaymoveamongorbetweensettingswhileincare.Forexample,achildmaymovefromagrouphometoarelativefosterhome.
Point in Time. Theestimated427,910childreninfostercareonSeptember30,2015,wereinthefollowingtypesofplacements:
� 45percentinnonrelativefosterfamilyhomes
� 30percentinrelativefosterfamilyhomes
� 8percentininstitutions
� 6percentingrouphomes
� 5percentontrialhomevisits(situationsinwhichtheStateretainssupervisionofachild,thechildreturnshomeonatrialbasisforanunspecifiedperiodoftime,andafter6monthsthechildisconsidereddischargedfromfostercare)
� 4percentinpreadoptivehomes
� 1percenthadrunaway
� 1percentinsupervisedindependentliving
Trends.PercentagesforplacementsettingsonSeptember30changedslightlybetweenFY2006andFY2015,withanotableincreaseintheuseofplacementswithrelativesandadecreaseinplacementsingrouphomes(seeexhibit2).
1%
1%
5%
4%
6%
8%
30%
45%
1%
2%
5%
3%
7%
10%
24%
46%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Supervised Independent Living
Runaway
Trial Home Visits
Preadoptive Homes
Group Homes
Institutions
Relative Foster Homes
Nonrelative Foster Family Homes
Exhibit 2: Placement Settings for Children in Foster Care on September 30 in 2006 and 2015
20062015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
4Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Case Plan GoalsThepreferredgoalforchildrenincareispermanencywithcaringparents.CaseplangoalsrefertothegoalsforpermanentplacementthatarereportedtoAFCARS.3
Point in Time.Theestimated427,910childreninfostercareonSeptember30,2015,hadthefollowingcaseplangoals:
� 55percenthadagoalofreunificationwithparent(s)orprincipalcaretaker(s).
� 25percenthadagoalofadoption.
� 6percenthadnotyethadacaseplangoalestablished.
� 4percenthadagoalofemancipation.4
� 3percenthadagoaloflong-termfostercare.
� 3percenthadagoalofguardianship.
� 3percenthadagoaloflivingwithotherrelative(s).
Trends. FromFY2006toFY2015,thepercentageofchildrenwithcaseplansofreunificationexperiencedthelargestincrease,whilethelargestdecreasewasinthepercentageofchildrenwithcaseplansoflong-termfostercare(seeexhibit3).
3 FormoreinformationaboutStaterequirementsforchildren’spermanencygoals,seeChildWelfareInformationGateway’sCase Planning for Families Involved With Child Welfare Agencies athttps://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/statutes/caseplanning.4 Emancipationreferstoboththeemancipationofminors(i.e.,youthbelowtheageofmajority)andyouthwhoageoutoffostercarebetween18and21,dependingonStatepolicy.
3%
3%
6%
4%
3%
25%
55%
4%
4%
6%
6%
9%
23%
49%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Living With Other Relative(s)
Guardianship
Goal Not Yet Established
Emancipation
Long-Term Foster Care
Adoption
Reunification
Exhibit 3: Permanency Goals for Children in Foster Care on September 30 in 2006 and 2015
2006
2015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
5Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
OutcomesTheoutcomestatisticsforchildrenleavingfostercarelargelyreflectthepercentagesforthepermanencygoals,especiallyforreunificationandadoption.
Exits. Oftheestimated243,060childrenwhoexitedfostercareduringFY2015:
� 51percentwerereunitedwithparent(s)orprimarycaretaker(s).
� 22percentwereadopted.
� 9percentwereemancipated.
� 9percentwenttolivewithaguardian.
� 6percentwenttolivewithanotherrelative.
� 2percenthadotheroutcomes.5
Trends. FromFY2006toFY2015,therewereincreasesinthepercentagesofchildrenwholeftthesystemforadoptionandguardianship.Thereweredecreasesinthepercentagesofchildrenwholeftthesystemtoreunitewiththeirparentsorprimarycaregiversorlivewithotherrelativesorwholeftwithotheroutcomes(seeexhibit4).
5 Otheroutcomesincludebeingtransferredtoanotheragency,runningaway,anddeath.Themajorityofthesechildrenweretransferred.
2%
9%
6%
9%
22%
51%
4%
5%
11%
9%
17%
53%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Other Outcomes
Guardianship
Living With OtherRelative(s)
Emancipation
Adoption
Reunification
Exhibit 4: Outcomes for Children Exiting Foster Care FY 2006 and FY 2015
2006
2015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
6Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Length of StayLengthofstayinfostercarereferstotheamountoftimebetweenenteringandexitingfostercare.
Exits. Oftheestimated243,060childrenwhoexitedfostercareduringFY2015,themedianamountoftimespentincarewas13.5months.6Thefollowingarethelengthsoftimeincare:
� 11percentincarelessthan1month
� 35percentincarefor1to11months
� 28percentincarefor12to23months
� 14percentincarefor24to35months
� 9percentincarefor3to4years
� 4percentincarefor5ormoreyears
Trends. Forchildrenexitingfostercare,themedianamountoftimespentincareincreasedfromFY2006(12.2months)toFY2015(13.5months).Additionally,whencomparingthosetwoperiods,thelargestincreaseinpercentageswereforchildrenincarefor12to23months.Thelargestdecreasesinpercentagewereforchildrenincareforlessthan1monthandchildrenincarefor5ormoreyears(seeexhibit5).
6 Themedianreferstothenumberinthemiddlewhenallnumbersareplacedinorder.Inthiscase,itmeansthatanequalnumberofchildrenwereincarefordurationsshorterandlongerthan13.4months.
4%
9%
14%
28%
35%
11%
7%
9%
11%
23%
35%
15%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
5+ Years
3–4 Years
24–35 Months
12–23 Months
1–11 Months
<1 Month
Exhibit 5: Length of Stay for Children Exiting Foster Care FY 2006 and FY 2015
20062015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
7Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Age
Childrencanenterfostercarefrominfancyuptoage18years(andsometimesolder).7
� Point in Time. ThemedianageofthechildreninfostercareonSeptember30,2015,was7.8years.
� Entries.ThemedianageofchildrenenteringfostercareduringFY2015was6.3years.
� Exits. ThemedianageofchildrenexitingfostercareduringFY2015was7.9years.
� Trends. FromFY2006toFY2015,themedianagedecreasedforeachofthethreetimeframes(seeexhibit6).
7 SomeStatesallowchildrentoremaininfostercaretoage19,20,or21.TheFosteringConnectionstoSuccessandIncreasingAdoptionsActof2008gaveStatestheoptiontoextendtitleIV-Eassistancetoyouthages18to21,withcertainstipulations.Formoreinformation,visitInformationGatewayathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/federal/fosteringconnections.
7.9
6.3
7.8
9.5
7.5
10.2
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0
Exits
Entries
Point in Time
Exhibit 6: Median Age in Years of Children In, Entering, and Exiting Foster CareFY 2006 and FY 2015
20062015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
8Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Race and EthnicityAFCARStrackschildren’sraceorethnicity.
Point in Time. Thefollowingaretheracesandethnicitiesoftheestimated427,910childreninfostercareonSeptember30,2015:
� 43percentwereWhite.
� 24percentwereBlackorAfrican-American.
� 21percentwereHispanic(ofanyrace).
� 10percentwereotherracesormultiracial.8
� 2percentwereunknownorunabletobedetermined.
Trends.ThepercentageofBlackchildrenincareonSeptember30decreasedbetweenFY2006andFY2015,whilethepercentagesofWhitechildren,Hispanicchildren,andchildrenofotherracesormultiracialchildrenincreased(seeexhibit7).
8 “Otherracesormultiracial”includesAmericanIndian/AlaskanNative,Asian,NativeHawaiian/OtherPacificIslander,andtwoormoreraces.
2%
10%
21%
24%
43%
2%
7%
19%
32%
40%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Unknown/Unable toDetermine
Other Races/Multiracial
Hispanic
Black
White
Exhibit 7: Race and Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care on September 30 in 2006 and 2015
20062015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
9Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Entries. Thefollowingaretheracesandethnicitiesoftheestimated269,509childrenwhoenteredfostercareduringFY2015:
� 45percentwereWhite.
� 23percentwereBlackorAfrican-American.
� 20percentwereHispanic.
� 10percentwereotherracesormultiracial.
� 2percentwereunknownorunabletobedetermined.
Trends.FromFY2006toFY2015,thepercentagesofBlackchildrenenteringfostercare,aswellasforthosewhoseraceorethnicitywasunknownorunabletobedetermined,decreased,whilethepercentagesofHispanicchildrenandchildrenofotherracesormultiracialchildrenenteringfostercareincreased(seeexhibit8).
2%
10%
20%
23%
45%
3%
7%
19%
26%
45%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Unknown/Unable toDetermine
Other Races/Multiracial
Hispanic
Black
White
Exhibit 8: Race and Ethnicity of Children Entering Foster Care FY 2006 and FY 2015
20062015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
10Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
Exits.Thefollowingaretheracesandethnicitiesoftheestimated243,060childrenwhoexitedfostercareduringFY2015:
� 45percentwereWhite.
� 23percentwereBlackorAfrican-American.
� 21percentwereHispanic(ofanyrace).
� 9percentwereotherracesormultiracial.
� 2percentwereunknownorunabletobedetermined.
Trends. FromFY2006toFY2015,thepercentagesofWhitechildren,Blackchildren,andchildrenofunknownraceorwhoseracewasunabletobedeterminedwhoexitedfostercaredecreased,whilethepercentagesofHispanicchildrenandchildrenofotherracesormultiracialchildrenexitingfostercareincreased(seeexhibit9).
GenderAFCARSnumbershaveconsistentlyshownaslightlygreaterpercentageofboysthangirlsinfostercare.
� Point in Time. Oftheestimated427,910childreninfostercareonSeptember30,2015,52percentweremale,and48percentwerefemale.
� Trends.TheproportionofmalestofemalesinfostercareonSeptember30remainedthesamefromFY2006toFY2015.
2%
9%
21%
23%
45%
2%
7%
18%
27%
46%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Unknown/Unable toDetermine
Other Races/Multiracial
Hispanic
Black
White
Exhibit 9: Race and Ethnicity of Children Exiting Foster Care FY 2006 and FY 2015
20062015
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
11Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproducedanddistributed.However,whendoingso,pleasecreditChildWelfareInformationGateway.Thispublicationisavailableonlineathttps://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/.
U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesAdministrationforChildrenandFamiliesAdministrationonChildren,YouthandFamiliesChildren’sBureau
Additional InformationFormoredetailedinformationonAFCARS,visittheChildren’sBureau’swebsiteathttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/about-afcars.
AFCARSreportsareavailableonlineathttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/afcars.
Thefollowingareadditionalresourcesforinformationaboutchildreninthechildwelfaresystem:
� Tofindoutmoreaboutthesafety,permanency,andwell-beingofchildreninfostercareinyourState,refertoChild Welfare Outcomes (CWO),anannualreportpublishedbytheChildren’sBureau.Thesereports,aswellastheCWOdatasite,areavailablefromtheChildren’sBureauwebsiteathttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/cwo.
� Tofindoutmoreaboutchildmaltreatment,includinginformationaboutvictimsandperpetrators,readChild Maltreatment,anannualreportbasedonStates’reportstotheNationalChildAbuseandNeglectDataSystem.AccessthereportsthroughtheChildren’sBureauwebsiteathttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/child-maltreatment.
ReferencesU.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.(2008).The AFCARS report: Preliminary FY 2006 estimates as of January
2008 (14). Retrievedfromhttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport14.pdf
U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.(2016).The AFCARS report: Preliminary FY 2015 estimates as of June 2016 (23).Retrievedfromhttps://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport23.pdf
Suggested citation:
ChildWelfareInformationGateway.(2017).Foster care statistics 2015. Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,Children’sBureau.
https://www.childwelfare.govFoster Care Statistics 2015
