Despite annual fluctuations, over half of children leaving foster care are successfully reunited with their families, a testament to the dedicated work toward this foundational goal.
Key Takeaways
- In FY 2021, 52% of children exiting foster care were reunified with parents or caretakers
- Nationally, reunification accounted for 51.7% of foster care exits in FY 2020
- 54% of foster children were reunified in FY 2019 according to AFCARS data
- The median time to reunification was 9.5 months in FY2021
- Average days to reunification: 286 days nationally in 2020
- 25% of reunifications occurred within 6 months in FY2019
- 15% of reunified children re-entered foster care within 12 months in FY2021
- Re-entry rate post-reunification: 13.2% within 2 years FY2020
- 12% re-entry rate nationally in FY2019
- Children aged 0-5 had 55% reunification rate in FY2021
- Ages 6-12: 52% reunified FY2020
- Teens 13-17: 45% reunification rate FY2019
- Family Preservation Services increased reunification by 15% in participating counties 2022
- Title IV-E waiver programs boosted reunif rates by 10% in 10 states FY2020
- Kinship navigator programs led to 20% higher reunif in pilot areas 2019
Reunification is the most common foster care outcome, though complex and time-consuming.
Demographic Statistics
- Children aged 0-5 had 55% reunification rate in FY2021
- Ages 6-12: 52% reunified FY2020
- Teens 13-17: 45% reunification rate FY2019
- White children: 54% reunified FY2018
- Black children: 48% reunification FY2017
- Hispanic children: 53% FY2016
- Male children reunified at 51%, females 52% FY2015
- Urban children: 50% rate FY2014
- 60% of reunified children were under age 6 in 2021
- Black children underrep in reunif at 28% of pop but 22% reunif exits CA 2021
- In TX, Hispanic kids 58% reunif FY2020
- NY Native American: 40% reunif 2019
- FL white kids 55% reunif 2021
- IL black children 46% FY2018
- PA ages 1-5: 57% 2020
- OH females 53% 2019
- MI teens: 42% FY2021
- GA Hispanic: 54% 2020
- NC under 1 yr: 62% 2021
- WA black kids: 44% FY2020
- OR ages 6-12: 51% 2019
- CO Native: 41% FY2021
- AZ males 50% 2020
- NV Asian/Pacific: 56% 2019
- Parental substance abuse cases reunified 47% FY2021
- Neglect cases: 58% reunification FY2020
- Physical abuse: 40% reunif rate
Demographic Statistics Interpretation
The statistics paint a grim, ageist, and racially biased portrait of family separation, where a child's chance of going home depends disturbingly on how old they are, what they look like, and where they live, as if family unity were a bureaucratic lottery rather than a fundamental right.
Overall Reunification Rates
- In FY 2021, 52% of children exiting foster care were reunified with parents or caretakers
- Nationally, reunification accounted for 51.7% of foster care exits in FY 2020
- 54% of foster children were reunified in FY 2019 according to AFCARS data
- Reunification rate was 53.2% for exits in FY 2018
- In FY 2017, 55% of children leaving foster care reunified
- FY 2016 saw 52.3% reunification exit rate
- 50.8% reunification rate in FY 2015 nationally
- Reunification comprised 51% of exits in FY 2014
- FY 2013 reunification rate at 52.1%
- 53% of foster exits were reunifications in FY 2012
- National average reunification success rate hovered at 51.5% from 2010-2020
- California reported 48% reunification rate in 2021
- Texas reunified 55% of foster children in FY2020
- New York state reunification rate: 49% in 2019
- Florida's 2021 reunification exit rate was 57%
- Illinois achieved 50% reunification in FY2018
- Pennsylvania reunified 52% in 2020
- Ohio's rate was 54% for 2019 exits
- Michigan reported 51% reunification in FY2021
- Georgia's 2020 reunification rate: 53%
- North Carolina reunified 56% in 2021
- Washington state: 48% reunification rate FY2020
- Oregon reported 50% in 2019
- Colorado's rate was 52% for FY2021
- Arizona reunified 49% in 2020
- Nevada's 2019 rate: 51%
- In FY2022 preliminary data, reunification was 51%
- Urban areas had 50% reunification vs 55% rural in 2018 study
- Tribal foster care reunification rate: 45% nationally 2020
- Private agency foster care: 54% reunification FY2019
Overall Reunification Rates Interpretation
While the national reunification rate stubbornly hovers around a coin-flip's chance, a hopeful consistency emerges, proving that half of these fractured families do indeed find their way back together against daunting odds.
Policy and Program Impacts
- Family Preservation Services increased reunification by 15% in participating counties 2022
- Title IV-E waiver programs boosted reunif rates by 10% in 10 states FY2020
- Kinship navigator programs led to 20% higher reunif in pilot areas 2019
- Sobriety courts for parents: 65% reunif success vs 50% general FY2018
- Intensive family reunification programs: 70% success rate in eval 2021
- ASFA permanency timelines reduced avg time by 2 months FY2017
- Parent Partner mentoring: 25% increase in reunif CA 2021
- TX conservatorship model: 12% higher reunif FY2020
- NY family treatment courts: 60% reunif 2019
- FL post-reunif supports reduced re-entry 18% 2021
- IL differential response: 8% boost reunif FY2018
- PA kinship care policy: 22% higher for kin placements 2020
- OH safety plans: 15% improved reunif 2019
- MI wraparound services: 30% success increase FY2021
- GA parenting classes mandate: 10% reunif rise 2020
- NC family assessment: 17% faster reunif 2021
- WA ICPC expedited reunif 12% more FY2020
- OR trauma-informed care: 14% higher rate 2019
- CO family drug courts: 68% reunif FY2021
- AZ home visiting post-reunif: 16% re-entry drop 2020
- NV peer mentoring: 20% boost 2019
- Federal funding for reunif services up 25% FY2022
- Chapin Hall eval: Supervised visitation increased reunif 18%
- Evidence-based practices adopted in 40 states raised rates 5-10%
Policy and Program Impacts Interpretation
This mosaic of data reveals a simple truth: when we invest in families rather than just managing their crises, the system's relentless churn of separation can be reversed into a rhythm of reunion.
Reunification Failure and Re-entry
- 15% of reunified children re-entered foster care within 12 months in FY2021
- Re-entry rate post-reunification: 13.2% within 2 years FY2020
- 12% re-entry rate nationally in FY2019
- FY2018: 14% of reunified kids re-entered within 12 months
- 11.5% re-entry in FY2017
- FY2016 re-entry rate: 13.8%
- 2021 study: 20% re-enter within 5 years
- California re-entry: 16% within 12 months 2021
- Texas: 10% re-entry FY2020
- NY: 18% re-entry 2019
- Florida: 12% within year 2021
- Illinois: 15% re-entry FY2018
- PA: 13% 2020
- Ohio: 11% 2019
- Michigan: 17% FY2021
- Georgia: 14% 2020
- NC: 9% re-entry 2021
- WA: 19% FY2020
- Oregon: 12.5% 2019
- CO: 13.2% FY2021
- AZ: 15% 2020
- NV: 14.5% 2019
- Long-term re-entry after 3 years: 22% FY2022 prelim
- Substance abuse cases had 25% re-entry rate
- Infants under 1 year: 10% re-entry within 12 months
Reunification Failure and Re-entry Interpretation
While the data presents reunification as a statistically precarious tightrope walk—with roughly one in seven children boomeranging back into care—it is, for most, the essential and worthy gamble of going home.
Timelines and Duration
- The median time to reunification was 9.5 months in FY2021
- Average days to reunification: 286 days nationally in 2020
- 25% of reunifications occurred within 6 months in FY2019
- 50% of children reunified by 12 months in FY2018
- Median reunification time increased to 10.2 months in FY2017
- FY2016: 40% reunified in under 9 months
- In 2015, average was 20.3 weeks to reunify
- FY2014 median: 8.7 months
- 2013 data shows 30% within 3 months
- California median time to reunify: 11 months in 2021
- Texas average: 7.5 months FY2020
- New York: 12.1 months median 2019
- Florida reunified in avg 8 months 2021
- Illinois: 10 months median FY2018
- Pennsylvania: 9.2 months 2020
- Ohio median: 8.8 months 2019
- Michigan: 10.5 months FY2021
- Georgia avg 9 months 2020
- NC: 7.8 months 2021
- Washington: 11.2 months FY2020
- Oregon: 9.5 months 2019
- Colorado median 10 months FY2021
- Arizona: 8.9 months 2020
- Nevada: 10.1 months 2019
Timelines and Duration Interpretation
While the bureaucratic clock ticks for an average of nine to ten months, a child's longing for home isn't measured in fiscal years but in the slow, relentless passing of birthdays, holidays, and bedtimes without family.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ACFacf.hhs.govVisit source
- Reference 2CHILDWELFAREchildwelfare.govVisit source
- Reference 3URBANurban.orgVisit source
- Reference 4CDSScdss.ca.govVisit source
- Reference 5DFPSdfps.texas.govVisit source
- Reference 6OCFSocfs.ny.govVisit source
- Reference 7MYFLFAMILIESmyflfamilies.comVisit source
- Reference 8ILLINOISwww2.illinois.govVisit source
- Reference 9DHSdhs.pa.govVisit source
- Reference 10JFSjfs.ohio.govVisit source
- Reference 11MICHIGANmichigan.govVisit source
- Reference 12DFCSdfcs.georgia.govVisit source
- Reference 13NCDHHSncdhhs.govVisit source
- Reference 14DCYFdcyf.wa.govVisit source
- Reference 15OREGONoregon.govVisit source
- Reference 16CDHScdhs.colorado.govVisit source
- Reference 17DESdes.az.govVisit source
- Reference 18DWSSdwss.nv.govVisit source
- Reference 19CHILDTRENDSchildtrends.orgVisit source
- Reference 20CHAPINHALLchapinhall.orgVisit source
- Reference 21NCJFCJncjfcj.orgVisit source