Key Highlights
- Approximately 2.4 million children in the United States are in foster care
- About 63% of children in foster care are boys
- The average age of children entering foster care is around 8 years old
- Nearly 60% of children in foster care are placed with relatives
- The median length of stay in foster care is approximately 13 months
- About 30% of children in foster care are유 of color
- An estimated 25% of children in foster care have experienced neglect
- Nearly 70% of children in foster care are male
- The percentage of children reunified with their families within 12 months is approximately 75%
- Federal and state governments collectively spend over $30 billion annually on foster care and child welfare services
- Less than 60% of children in foster care receive regular mental health services
- The success rate of reunification as a permanency plan is around 50%
- About 15% of children in foster care are placed with non-relative guardians
With over 2.4 million children in foster care across the United States, the system faces complex challenges—from high placement instability and unmet mental health needs to systemic disparities and high recidivism rates—that demand urgent national attention and compassionate reform.
Demographics of Foster Children
- Approximately 2.4 million children in the United States are in foster care
- About 63% of children in foster care are boys
- The average age of children entering foster care is around 8 years old
- Nearly 70% of children in foster care are male
- Over 10% of foster children are adolescents aged 13-17
- The number of children entering foster care has decreased by over 10% since 2010
- About 20% of children in foster care have physical disabilities
- The proportion of children in care due to parental drug abuse has increased to nearly 40%
- Children with special needs constitute approximately 15% of the foster care population
- The majority of foster children (over 80%) reside in urban areas
- About 40% of foster children are aged 6-12 years old
- The number of children entering foster care due to parental incarceration has increased by over 20% in the last decade
- The number of children in foster care has decreased from a peak of over 500,000 in the mid-1990s to under 420,000 in recent years
Demographics of Foster Children Interpretation
Amidst a declining yet still staggering 2.4 million children in foster care—primarily boys around age eight, many with disabilities or affected by parental substance abuse or incarceration—the data underscores both progress and ongoing challenges in protecting society's most vulnerable youth.
Foster Care Placement and Duration
- Nearly 60% of children in foster care are placed with relatives
- The median length of stay in foster care is approximately 13 months
- Federal and state governments collectively spend over $30 billion annually on foster care and child welfare services
- About 15% of children in foster care are placed with non-relative guardians
- Fewer than 25% of children in foster care have a permanency plan of adoption
- The number of foster care placements per child averages around 2.3
- Foster children are 2.5 times more likely to experience multiple placements compared to other children
- About 5% of children in foster care are placed in group homes or residential treatment facilities
- The foster care system experiences a workforce shortage, with over 20% of social worker positions unfilled nationwide
- Nearly 50% of foster children have experienced three or more placements
- Approximately 30% of foster children are placed outside their home state
- About 20% of foster children are placed with non-family members in the “kinship care” settings
- The percentage of foster children placed in therapeutic or treatment foster homes is approximately 15%
- The percentage of children in foster care placed with siblings is around 35%
- Approximately 90% of foster placements are within 100 miles of the child’s birth home
- The average length of time a foster child remains in care before reunification or other permanency is around 20 months
- About 10% of foster children are placed in residential treatment centers
- The percentage of foster care cases involving parental substance abuse as a factor has risen to over 35%
- Foster children with a diagnosed mental health condition are less likely to be placed in kinship care, citing about 30%
- Less than 15% of foster children are placed in specialized medical foster homes
- The number of foster care placements due to parental domestic violence accounts for roughly 20% of all entries
Foster Care Placement and Duration Interpretation
Despite billions invested and a system that emphasizes kinship and proximity, nearly half of foster children endure multiple placements over nearly a year and a half—highlighting that, even with a well-intentioned framework, stability remains a rare commodity in the quest to secure permanency.
Foster Family Characteristics
- The majority of foster caregivers are women, representing over 85% of foster parents
- The median income of foster families is lower than the national median, with many earning below $40,000 annually
Foster Family Characteristics Interpretation
While women dominate foster caregiving, their median income lags behind the national average, highlighting a noble yet underfunded effort to nurture society's most vulnerable.
Foster Youth Outcomes and Aspirations
- An estimated 25% of children in foster care have experienced neglect
- The percentage of children reunified with their families within 12 months is approximately 75%
- Less than 60% of children in foster care receive regular mental health services
- The success rate of reunification as a permanency plan is around 50%
- The percentage of foster children who are enrolled in school is approximately 95%
- Approximately 60% of foster children have an ongoing connection with at least one birth family member
- Foster care youth aging out of the system without permanency face higher unemployment rates, approximately 40%
- Nearly 8% of children in foster care are pregnant or parenting teens
- Children in foster care are about three times more likely to experience mental health challenges than their peers
- Only about 50% of foster children are tested for learning disabilities
- The percentage of youth in foster care aged 16+ receiving education and employment services is around 45%
- Around 70% of children in foster care have experienced trauma
- The recidivism rate among foster youth who exit the system without a permanent placement is approximately 60%
- The proportion of foster youth graduating high school is around 75%, significantly higher than a decade ago
- Less than 10% of foster children are involved in juvenile justice proceedings
- About 85% of foster children receive some form of education support services
- Foster youth who age out are less likely to have health insurance coverage, with only 55% insured at age 19
- Children who experience multiple placements are 1.5 times more likely to experience mental health issues
- The proportion of foster children with access to aftercare services post-permanency is only around 40%
- Children in foster care with disabilities are less likely to receive appropriate educational accommodations, with only about 65% receiving services
- The median age of foster youth aging out without permanency is approximately 17 years old
- The successful long-term permanency rate (adoption or guardianship) for foster children is roughly 45%
- The percentage of foster children who experience educational instability (frequent school changes) is around 25%
- Approximately 85% of foster youth want to pursue higher education, but only about 20% enroll after aging out
- Over 65% of foster youth report feeling disconnected from family or support networks
Foster Youth Outcomes and Aspirations Interpretation
Despite a 75% reunification rate within a year, nearly 60% of foster children lack consistent mental health care and remain traumatized, highlighting that while many are comforted by family ties and educational support, systemic gaps leave vulnerable youth at risk of perpetuating cycles of instability and disconnection into adulthood.
Racial and Ethnic Composition
- About 30% of children in foster care are유 of color
- About 70% of foster children are Caucasian, but the proportion of children of color is disproportionately higher in foster care relative to their populations in the general youth population
Racial and Ethnic Composition Interpretation
The foster care system’s demographics highlight a sobering reality: children of color are overrepresented, suggesting that equity must be at the forefront of reform efforts to truly serve all youth fairly.