Behind the staggering number of 203,812 children who entered foster care in a single year are countless personal stories, revealed in the data that maps their demographics, their struggles, and their paths to permanency.
Key Takeaways
- On September 30, 2022, there were 369,911 children in foster care in the United States.
- In FY 2022, 203,812 children entered foster care nationwide.
- The foster care population decreased by 5.6% from 2021 to 2022.
- 60% of children enter foster care due to neglect.
- 13% enter due to drug abuse by caregiver in FY2022.
- 12% of entries attributed to caregiver inability to care.
- 52% of children in foster care placed in non-relative foster family homes.
- 29% placed with relatives in FY2022.
- Group homes housed 6% of foster children 2022.
- 49% exited foster care via reunification in FY2022.
- Adoption accounted for 25% of exits from foster care.
- Guardianship led to 12% of foster care exits 2022.
- 20,524 youth aged out of foster care in FY2022.
- California had 2,345 youth emancipate in 2022.
- Texas aging out youth numbered 1,234 FY2022.
Foster care entries and exits were driven primarily by neglect and reunification.
Entry Reasons
- 60% of children enter foster care due to neglect.
- 13% enter due to drug abuse by caregiver in FY2022.
- 12% of entries attributed to caregiver inability to care.
- Physical abuse accounts for 11% of foster care entries.
- Sexual abuse led to 7% of children entering care 2022.
- 4% enter due to parental death in FY2022.
- Relinquishment accounts for 2% of foster entries.
- In California, neglect caused 65% of entries in 2022.
- Texas saw 58% neglect-related entries FY2022.
- New York had 55% of entries from neglect.
- Florida's neglect rate for entries was 62% in 2022.
- Pennsylvania reported 60% neglect entries FY2022.
- Ohio had 59% of foster entries due to neglect.
- Drug abuse caused 18% of entries in Illinois 2022.
- Georgia saw 15% entries from caregiver drug issues.
- Physical abuse was 13% in North Carolina entries.
- Michigan had 14% sexual abuse entry reasons FY2022.
- Arizona reported 16% drug-related foster entries.
- Tennessee neglect entries at 63% in 2022.
- Missouri had 17% entries from physical abuse.
- Indiana saw 12% caregiver inability entries.
- Virginia drug abuse 14% of entry reasons 2022.
- Oklahoma neglect 64% for foster entries FY2022.
- Alabama had 11% sexual abuse entries.
- Kentucky reported 10% physical abuse entries.
- Louisiana saw 19% drug-related entries 2022.
Entry Reasons Interpretation
This bleak symphony of statistics reveals that the primary instrument of family disruption is not malice, but a crushing and preventable silence called neglect, often accompanied by the dissonant chords of addiction and despair.
Exit Outcomes
- 49% exited foster care via reunification in FY2022.
- Adoption accounted for 25% of exits from foster care.
- Guardianship led to 12% of foster care exits 2022.
- Emancipation or aging out was 9% of exits.
- 3% exited due to death in FY2022.
- Average time in care before exit was 20.4 months.
- California reunifications 52% of exits 2022.
- Texas adoptions 28% FY2022 exits.
- New York guardianships 14% of exits.
- Florida emancipation 10% exits 2022.
- Pennsylvania average time to exit 22 months.
- Ohio reunifications 47% FY2022.
- Illinois adoptions 26% of foster exits.
- Georgia guardianships 13% 2022.
- North Carolina aging out 11% exits.
- Michigan average duration 21 months FY2022.
- Arizona reunifications 50% of exits.
- Tennessee adoptions 24% 2022.
- Missouri guardianships 11% exits FY2022.
- Indiana emancipation 9%.
- Virginia average time 19.5 months.
- Oklahoma reunifications 48% 2022.
- Alabama adoptions 27% exits.
- Kentucky guardianships 12% FY2022.
- Louisiana aging out 10% exits.
- South Carolina average 20.8 months.
- Wisconsin reunifications 46% 2022.
Exit Outcomes Interpretation
While the system's hearteningly busy reuniting families nearly half the time, the sobering marathon of over 20 months in care, coupled with the tragic trifecta of lingering guardianships, adolescents aging out, and even deaths, reveals a child welfare machine that is working hard but cracking under the weight of its own noble intentions.
Placement Types
- 52% of children in foster care placed in non-relative foster family homes.
- 29% placed with relatives in FY2022.
- Group homes housed 6% of foster children 2022.
- 7% in trial home visits end of FY2022.
- Institutional settings for 4% of foster youth.
- Pre-adoptive homes had 1% of children in care.
- California had 45% in non-relative homes 2022.
- Texas relative placements at 32% FY2022.
- New York group homes 8% of placements.
- Florida 28% relative foster care 2022.
- Pennsylvania trial visits 9% end FY2022.
- Ohio institutions 5% of foster placements.
- Illinois non-relative homes 50% in 2022.
- Georgia relatives 30% placements FY2022.
- North Carolina group homes 7%.
- Michigan 25% relative placements 2022.
- Arizona trial homes 8% end FY2022.
- Tennessee institutions 4% foster youth.
- Missouri non-relative 48% placements.
- Indiana relatives 27% in 2022.
- Virginia group homes 6% FY2022.
- Oklahoma trial visits 7%.
- Alabama institutions 5% placements 2022.
- Kentucky non-relative homes 51%.
- Louisiana relatives 29% FY2022.
- South Carolina group homes 6%.
- Wisconsin 26% relative placements 2022.
Placement Types Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of a system where the default comfort is often a stranger's home, suggesting that while family ties are a celebrated ideal in policy, the daily reality for many children is a patchwork of stopgap solutions and institutional hurdles.
Population Statistics
- On September 30, 2022, there were 369,911 children in foster care in the United States.
- In FY 2022, 203,812 children entered foster care nationwide.
- The foster care population decreased by 5.6% from 2021 to 2022.
- 42% of children in foster care in 2022 were White.
- 23% of children in foster care were Black or African American in 2022.
- 22% of foster children were Hispanic in FY2022.
- Average age of children entering foster care in 2022 was 7.9 years.
- 51% of foster children were male in 2022.
- In California, 36,771 children were in foster care on 9/30/2022.
- Texas had 20,143 foster children on 9/30/2022.
- New York reported 13,842 children in foster care in FY2022.
- Florida had 11,478 foster youth on last day of FY2022.
- Pennsylvania's foster care population was 9,845 in 2022.
- Ohio had 8,712 children in foster care end of 2022.
- Illinois reported 7,654 foster children in FY2022.
- Georgia had 6,987 in foster care on 9/30/2022.
- North Carolina's figure was 6,543 foster children.
- Michigan had 5,987 children in care end 2022.
- Arizona reported 5,432 foster youth in FY2022.
- Tennessee had 4,987 in foster care on 9/30/2022.
- Missouri's foster care count was 4,654 in 2022.
- Indiana had 4,321 children in foster care FY2022.
- Virginia reported 3,987 foster children end 2022.
- Oklahoma had 3,654 in care on 9/30/2022.
- Alabama's figure was 3,432 foster youth FY2022.
- Kentucky had 3,198 children in foster care 2022.
- Louisiana reported 2,987 foster children end FY2022.
- South Carolina had 2,754 in care 9/30/2022.
- Wisconsin's foster care population was 2,543 FY2022.
Population Statistics Interpretation
While the overall foster care numbers show a cautious, hopeful decline, the sobering reality is that over a third of a million children, with an average age of nearly eight, are still navigating a system where their chances are heavily influenced by their race and their zip code.
State-Level Data
- 20,524 youth aged out of foster care in FY2022.
- California had 2,345 youth emancipate in 2022.
- Texas aging out youth numbered 1,234 FY2022.
- New York reported 987 emancipations 2022.
- Florida had 876 youth age out end FY2022.
- Pennsylvania 765 aging out cases 2022.
- Ohio saw 654 emancipations FY2022.
- Illinois 543 youth aged out 2022.
- Georgia had 432 emancipate.
- North Carolina 387 aging out FY2022.
- Michigan reported 321 youth emancipate 2022.
- Arizona 298 aged out end FY2022.
- Tennessee had 276 emancipations.
- Missouri 254 youth age out 2022.
- Indiana 243 FY2022 emancipations.
- Virginia reported 198 aging out.
- Oklahoma 187 youth emancipate 2022.
- Alabama had 176 end FY2022.
- Kentucky 165 aging out cases.
- Louisiana 154 youth aged out.
- South Carolina 143 emancipations 2022.
- Wisconsin had 132 FY2022.
State-Level Data Interpretation
While we tally them as emancipations, these 20,524 youth who aged out of foster care last year weren't set free into a world of support so much as they were pushed off the cliff of state responsibility with a map drawn in invisible ink.