Behind the staggering statistic that over 200,000 children enter foster care each year lies a singular, devastating truth: the overwhelming majority are placed there due to neglect, a pattern that repeats itself tragically from California to New York.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 76% of the 206,383 children entering foster care in the United States were removed primarily due to neglect
- Nationally, neglect accounted for 61% of foster care entries in FY 2021 among 210,383 children
- In California for FY 2022, 68% of foster care placements (45,200 children) were due to neglect
- In 2021, 18% of US foster care entries (37,910 children) were due to physical abuse
- California FY 2022: 12% of foster placements (8,064 children) from physical abuse
- Texas 2022: 15% physical abuse for 2,775 foster entries
- In FY 2022, 7% of US foster care entries (14,447 children) were due to sexual abuse
- California FY 2022: 9% sexual abuse for 6,048 foster placements
- Texas 2022: 8% of 18,500 foster entries sexual abuse
- In FY 2022, 11% of US foster care entries (22,704 children) due to parental drug abuse
- California FY 2022: 14% parental drug abuse for 9,392 foster placements
- Texas 2022: 12% drug abuse among 18,500 foster entries
- In FY 2022, 4% of US foster care entries (8,255 children) due to parental incarceration
- California FY 2022: 5% parental incarceration for 3,360 foster placements
- Texas 2022: 6% incarceration among 18,500 foster entries
Neglect is by far the most common reason children enter foster care nationwide.
Neglect
- In 2022, 76% of the 206,383 children entering foster care in the United States were removed primarily due to neglect
- Nationally, neglect accounted for 61% of foster care entries in FY 2021 among 210,383 children
- In California for FY 2022, 68% of foster care placements (45,200 children) were due to neglect
- Texas reported 72% of 18,500 foster care entries in 2022 attributed to neglect
- New York State saw neglect as the reason for 75% of 15,200 foster placements in FY 2023
- In Florida, 70% of 22,000 children placed in foster care in 2022 cited neglect
- Illinois FY 2022 data shows 73% of 14,800 foster entries due to neglect
- Pennsylvania 2022: neglect primary for 69% of 8,900 foster care placements
- Ohio reported 74% neglect rate for 12,300 foster entries in SFY 2022
- Michigan FY 2022: 71% of 10,200 children entered foster care due to neglect
- In FY 2020, 62% of US foster care removals (173,599 children) were neglect-related
- Georgia 2022: 67% of 7,500 foster placements due to neglect
- North Carolina FY 2022: neglect caused 76% of 9,800 foster care entries
- Washington State 2022: 70% neglect for 8,200 placements
- Massachusetts FY 2022: 68% of 5,100 foster entries from neglect
- In 2019, neglect was 75% of 252,000 US foster entries
- Colorado 2022: 72% neglect rate for 6,300 foster placements
- Virginia FY 2022: 69% of 4,900 entries due to neglect
- Oregon 2022: 74% neglect for 7,100 foster care cases
- Arizona FY 2022: 71% of 11,200 placements from neglect
- Nevada 2022: 67% neglect primary reason for 3,200 foster entries
- In FY 2018, 59% US foster care due to neglect (267,613 total entries)
- Minnesota 2022: 73% of 7,400 placements neglect-related
- Wisconsin FY 2022: 70% neglect for 6,500 foster entries
- Indiana 2022: 75% of 12,100 children placed due to neglect
- Kentucky FY 2022: 68% neglect rate for 8,000 placements
- Alabama 2022: 72% of 5,200 foster entries from neglect
- Tennessee FY 2022: 71% neglect for 9,300 placements
- Oklahoma 2022: 74% neglect primary for 7,800 foster care cases
- Iowa FY 2022: 69% of 3,900 entries due to neglect
Neglect Interpretation
While a nation's child welfare system may famously stand ready to rescue children from overt monsters, its sobering reality is primarily one of sweeping up the pieces from a silent, grinding epidemic of parental neglect.
Parental Incarceration
- In FY 2022, 4% of US foster care entries (8,255 children) due to parental incarceration
- California FY 2022: 5% parental incarceration for 3,360 foster placements
- Texas 2022: 6% incarceration among 18,500 foster entries
- New York FY 2023: 3% parental incarceration for 15,200 placements
- Florida 2022: 4% incarceration rate for 22,000 foster entries
- Illinois FY 2022: 5% of 14,800 placements from parental jail
- Pennsylvania 2022: 7% incarceration for 8,900 foster cases
- Ohio SFY 2022: 4% parental incarceration of 12,300 entries
- Michigan FY 2022: 6% incarceration among 10,200 placements
- FY 2020 US: 5% incarceration (6,980 children) foster removals
- Georgia 2022: 4% of 7,500 foster placements parental prison
- North Carolina FY 2022: 3% incarceration for 9,800 entries
- Washington 2022: 5% incarceration rate for 8,200 placements
- Massachusetts FY 2022: 4% of 5,100 foster entries incarceration
- 2019 US: 6% parental incarceration of 252,000 foster entries
- Colorado 2022: 7% incarceration for 6,300 placements
- Virginia FY 2022: 5% of 4,900 entries from parental incarceration
- Oregon 2022: 4% incarceration among 7,100 foster cases
- Arizona FY 2022: 6% of 11,200 placements incarceration
- Nevada 2022: 3% parental incarceration for 3,200 entries
- FY 2018 US: 4% incarceration (10,705 children) foster entries
- Minnesota 2022: 5% of 7,400 placements incarceration
- Wisconsin FY 2022: 6% incarceration for 6,500 entries
- Indiana 2022: 4% parental incarceration among 12,100 placements
- Kentucky FY 2022: 7% of 8,000 placements incarceration
- Alabama 2022: 5% incarceration rate for 5,200 entries
- Tennessee FY 2022: 3% incarceration for 9,300 placements
- Oklahoma 2022: 5% of 7,800 foster cases parental jail
- Iowa FY 2022: 4% incarceration among 3,900 entries
Parental Incarceration Interpretation
The data reveals a grim mathematical irony: that a prison sentence for a parent often becomes, with staggering predictability, a life sentence of instability for their child.
Parental Substance Abuse
- In FY 2022, 11% of US foster care entries (22,704 children) due to parental drug abuse
- California FY 2022: 14% parental drug abuse for 9,392 foster placements
- Texas 2022: 12% drug abuse among 18,500 foster entries
- New York FY 2023: 13% parental substance abuse for 15,200 placements
- Florida 2022: 15% drug abuse rate for 22,000 foster entries
- Illinois FY 2022: 11% of 14,800 placements from parental drugs
- Pennsylvania 2022: 16% substance abuse for 8,900 foster cases
- Ohio SFY 2022: 14% parental drug abuse of 12,300 entries
- Michigan FY 2022: 12% substance abuse among 10,200 placements
- FY 2020 US: 13% drug abuse (18,039 children) foster removals
- Georgia 2022: 15% of 7,500 foster placements parental drugs
- North Carolina FY 2022: 11% substance abuse for 9,800 entries
- Washington 2022: 14% drug abuse rate for 8,200 placements
- Massachusetts FY 2022: 12% of 5,100 foster entries substance abuse
- 2019 US: 14% parental drug abuse of 252,000 foster entries
- Colorado 2022: 16% substance abuse for 6,300 placements
- Virginia FY 2022: 13% of 4,900 entries from parental drugs
- Oregon 2022: 15% drug abuse among 7,100 foster cases
- Arizona FY 2022: 11% of 11,200 placements substance abuse
- Nevada 2022: 14% parental drug abuse for 3,200 entries
- FY 2018 US: 12% substance abuse (32,113 children) foster entries
- Minnesota 2022: 13% of 7,400 placements drug abuse
- Wisconsin FY 2022: 15% substance abuse for 6,500 entries
- Indiana 2022: 12% parental drugs among 12,100 placements
- Kentucky FY 2022: 16% of 8,000 placements substance abuse
- Alabama 2022: 14% drug abuse rate for 5,200 entries
- Tennessee FY 2022: 11% substance abuse for 9,300 placements
- Oklahoma 2022: 13% of 7,800 foster cases parental drugs
- Iowa FY 2022: 15% substance abuse among 3,900 entries
Parental Substance Abuse Interpretation
Behind every one of these grim percentages, a uniquely American epidemic is collateral-damaging its way through childhoods, proving that our drug crisis often collects its most innocent victims.
Physical Abuse
- In 2021, 18% of US foster care entries (37,910 children) were due to physical abuse
- California FY 2022: 12% of foster placements (8,064 children) from physical abuse
- Texas 2022: 15% physical abuse for 2,775 foster entries
- New York 2023: 14% of 15,200 foster placements due to physical abuse
- Florida 2022: 13% physical abuse rate for 22,000 placements
- Illinois FY 2022: 16% of 14,800 entries from physical abuse
- Pennsylvania 2022: 11% physical abuse for 8,900 foster cases
- Ohio SFY 2022: 17% of 12,300 foster entries physical abuse
- Michigan FY 2022: 14% physical abuse among 10,200 placements
- FY 2020 US: 17% physical abuse (20,389 children) foster removals
- Georgia 2022: 13% of 7,500 foster placements physical abuse
- North Carolina FY 2022: 12% physical abuse for 9,800 entries
- Washington 2022: 15% physical abuse rate for 8,200 placements
- Massachusetts FY 2022: 16% of 5,100 foster entries physical abuse
- 2019 US: 18% physical abuse of 252,000 foster entries
- Colorado 2022: 14% physical abuse for 6,300 placements
- Virginia FY 2022: 11% of 4,900 entries from physical abuse
- Oregon 2022: 13% physical abuse among 7,100 foster cases
- Arizona FY 2022: 17% of 11,200 placements physical abuse
- Nevada 2022: 12% physical abuse for 3,200 foster entries
- FY 2018 US: 18% physical abuse (48,172 children) foster care entries
- Minnesota 2022: 15% of 7,400 placements physical abuse
- Wisconsin FY 2022: 16% physical abuse for 6,500 entries
- Indiana 2022: 14% physical abuse among 12,100 foster placements
- Kentucky FY 2022: 13% of 8,000 placements from physical abuse
- Alabama 2022: 12% physical abuse rate for 5,200 entries
- Tennessee FY 2022: 17% physical abuse for 9,300 placements
- Oklahoma 2022: 11% of 7,800 foster cases physical abuse
- Iowa FY 2022: 15% physical abuse among 3,900 entries
Physical Abuse Interpretation
Despite a stubbornly consistent national average, the haunting math of these percentages reveals that every year, across every state, a small army of children is being welcomed into foster care not by circumstance, but by the deliberate and devastating physics of a raised hand.
Sexual Abuse
- In FY 2022, 7% of US foster care entries (14,447 children) were due to sexual abuse
- California FY 2022: 9% sexual abuse for 6,048 foster placements
- Texas 2022: 8% of 18,500 foster entries sexual abuse
- New York FY 2023: 6% sexual abuse rate for 15,200 placements
- Florida 2022: 7% sexual abuse among 22,000 foster entries
- Illinois FY 2022: 10% of 14,800 placements from sexual abuse
- Pennsylvania 2022: 8% sexual abuse for 8,900 foster cases
- Ohio SFY 2022: 9% sexual abuse of 12,300 foster entries
- Michigan FY 2022: 7% sexual abuse among 10,200 placements
- FY 2020 US: 8% sexual abuse (11,488 children) foster removals
- Georgia 2022: 6% of 7,500 foster placements sexual abuse
- North Carolina FY 2022: 9% sexual abuse for 9,800 entries
- Washington 2022: 10% sexual abuse rate for 8,200 placements
- Massachusetts FY 2022: 8% of 5,100 foster entries sexual abuse
- 2019 US: 9% sexual abuse of 252,000 foster entries
- Colorado 2022: 7% sexual abuse for 6,300 placements
- Virginia FY 2022: 6% of 4,900 entries from sexual abuse
- Oregon 2022: 9% sexual abuse among 7,100 foster cases
- Arizona FY 2022: 8% of 11,200 placements sexual abuse
- Nevada 2022: 10% sexual abuse for 3,200 foster entries
- FY 2018 US: 7% sexual abuse (18,733 children) foster entries
- Minnesota 2022: 9% of 7,400 placements sexual abuse
- Wisconsin FY 2022: 8% sexual abuse for 6,500 entries
- Indiana 2022: 7% sexual abuse among 12,100 foster placements
- Kentucky FY 2022: 10% of 8,000 placements from sexual abuse
- Alabama 2022: 9% sexual abuse rate for 5,200 entries
- Tennessee FY 2022: 6% sexual abuse for 9,300 placements
- Oklahoma 2022: 8% of 7,800 foster cases sexual abuse
- Iowa FY 2022: 7% sexual abuse among 3,900 entries
Sexual Abuse Interpretation
The grim and persistent mathematics of these state reports reveal that, year after year, the nation's foster care system is forced to assemble a heartbreaking classroom where roughly one in every dozen children is enrolled because an adult violated the most fundamental rule of childhood: safety.
Sources & References
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