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Quick Facts About Foster Care
Children in Care
513,000 children were in the U.S. foster care system on September 30, 2005. Most children are placed temporarily in foster care due to parental abuse or neglect.
Age of Children in Foster Care
Average age: 10.0 years
| Age | Percentage |
| Younger than 1 year | 6% |
| Age 1-5 | 26% |
| Age 6-10 years | 20% |
| Age 11-15 years | 28% |
| Age 16-18 years | 18% |
| Over 18 | 2% |
Race/Ethnicity
As a percentage, there are more children of color in the foster care system than in the general U.S. population. However, child abuse and neglect occur at about the same rate in all racial/ethnic groups.
Read the report, Children of Color in the Child Welfare System, from CWLA's National Data Analysis System.
| Ethnicity | Out-of-Home Care | General Population |
| Black, Non-Hispanic | 32% | 15% |
| White, Non-Hispanic | 41% | 61% |
| Hispanic | 18% | 17% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic | 2% | 1% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic | 1% | 3% |
| Unknown | 2% | N/A |
| Two or More Races, Non-Hispanic | 3% | 4% |
Gender
| Gender | Percentage |
| Male | 52% |
| Female | 48% |
Length of Stay
For the children in foster care on September 30, 2005, the average amount of time they had been in the system was 28.6 months. Half of those leaving care that year had been away from home for a year or longer. 54% of the young people leaving the system were reunified with their birth parents or primary caregivers.
Foster Homes
In 2004, there was a total of 153,000 licensed/certified/approved kinship and non-relative foster homes nationwide. In 2005, 24% of youth living foster care were residing with their relatives.
Adoptions
In 2005, 60% of adopted children were adopted by their foster parent(s). The "foster parent" category excludes anyone identified as a relative of the child. 25% of children adopted in FY 2005 were adopted by a relative. A "relative" includes a step-parent or other relative of the child.
Siblings and Extended Families
Over 2 million American children live with grandparents or other relatives because their parents cannot care for them. When relatives provide foster care (known as kinship care), siblings can often stay together. Kinship care also improves stability by keeping displaced children closer to their extended families, their neighborhoods, and their schools.
Youth in Transition
Each year, an estimated 20,000 young people "age out" of the U.S. foster care system. Many are only 18 years old and still need support and services. Several foster care alumni studies show that without a lifelong connection to a caring adult, these older youth are often left vulnerable to a host of adverse situations:
| Outcome | National | Regional/Local |
| Earned a high school diploma | 54% | 50%-63% |
| Obtained BA or higher | 2% | 2% |
| Became a parent | 84% | 42% |
| Were unemployed | 51% | 30% |
| Had no health insurance (unable to obtain health care because they lacked health insurance or sufficient money) | 30% | 29% |
| Had been homeless | 25% | 36% |
| Receiving public assistance | 30% | 26% |
Sources
Facts About Children in Foster Care
Child Welfare League of America, National Data Analysis System
For more information, contact the Director of Family Foster Care Services.
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