In 2022, about 368,530 children in the United States were living in foster care. This is a sharp decrease from the previous year, when about 407,318 children were living in foster care nationwide.

In 2022, about 25,338 children under one-year-old in the United States were living in foster care. In that same year, about 20,163 children aged 16 years old were living in foster care nationwide.

In 2021, there were 168,063 white children in foster care in the United States. This is compared to 86,645 Black or African American children and 85,215 Hispanic children who were in foster care.

Foster care in the United States

Foster care is where minors are taken care of in different institutions, such as a group home or private home of a caregiver certified by the state (called a foster parent). The procedure for becoming a foster parent in the United States varies from state to state. It is up to the state to determine the process; however it is overseen by the Department of Child Protective Services. It is sometimes seen as a precursor to adoption, which is different from fostering a child. There are many barriers to fostering and adopting children, such as high costs and long wait times, which can discourage people from doing it.

Who are foster children?

The number of children in foster care in the United States has decreased slightly since 2011. When looked at by age, most of the children in foster care in 2020 were one year old, and slightly more male children were in foster care than female children. Most of the children in foster care were placed into non-relative foster family homes, and in most cases, the primary goal of foster care is to reunify children with their parents or primary caregivers.

Statistics on youth in foster care reported in compliance with Local Law 145 amended by City Council. Cells with one to five youth are not shown to protect anonymity.

Data table showing children in foster care by their CD of origin and median time from placement to date of data pull for each CD. Sources: CCRS, Connections Prepared By: ACS/DPPM /ORA/JACWR

Excel table that shows foster care placements by community district and borough of origin

The National Foster Care & Adoption Directory (formerly the National Adoption Directory) offers adoption and foster care resources by State.

In 2021, about 206,812 children in the United States entered into foster care in that year. This is a decrease from the previous year, when 216,842 children across the country entered into foster care.

Statistics on government-issued personal identification for youth in foster care reported in compliance with Local Law 48 passed by City Council in 2014

The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) is a federally mandated data collection system intended to provide case specific information on all children covered by the protections of Title IV-B/E of the Social Security Act (Section 427). Under the Final 1993 AFCARS’ rule, states are required to collect and submit data on all children who are under the responsiblity of the title IV-B/IV-E agency for placement, care, or supervision. Units of Response: Children in Foster Care Type of Data: Administrative Tribal Data: Unavailable Periodicity: Semiannual Demographic Indicators: Disability;Geographic Areas;Sex SORN: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/14/2016-29366/adoption-and-foster-care-analysis-and-reporting-system Data Use Agreement: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/order_forms/termsofuseagreement.pdf Data Use Agreement Location: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/order_forms/termsofuseagreement.pdf Granularity: Individual Spatial: United States Geocoding: FIPS Code

Excel version of report to City Council required per LL 142

This dataset explores Foster Care FY2000 - FY2005 Entries, Exits, and Numbers of Children In Care on the Last Day of Each Federal Fiscal Year. NOTE: This table reflects State data submitted to the Children's Bureau as of March 2007. The table does not include any estimates for individual States. Jurisdictions with insufficient data ("NA") are not included in the total for that year. Pre-2003 Nevada data were generated from various sources, rather than from a statewide child welfare system. NOTE: Ideally, if the number of children in the "in care" count declines, as it did during this period, the number of exits should consistently be greater than the number of entries in that year. However, this does not occur with these data. Underreporting of foster care exits by some States is the major reason for this data quality issue.

This data explores the DHHS Children's Bureau data on Children in Public Foster Care Waiting to be Adopted. *There is no federal definition for a child waiting to be adopted. For analytical purposes, the definition used in the table above includes children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parental rights have been terminated. It excludes children 16 years old and older, whose parental rights have been terminated and who have a goal of emancipation. The # of children waiting to be adopted reported by individual States will likely differ somewhat from those in this table because State definitions vary according to State policies and practices. Because this data are being continuously updated and cleaned, the numbers reported here may differ from data reported elsewhere. This has resulted in an increase in the reported size of the waiting population for fiscal years 2002-2006. This change and other minor changes made to the computer program provide a more accurate picture of the size and nature of the "waiting" population at the end of each fiscal year.

States report information from two reporting populations: (1) The Served Population which is information on all youth receiving at least one independent living services paid or provided by the Chafee Program agency, and (2) Youth completing the NYTD Survey. States survey youth regarding six outcomes: financial self-sufficiency, experience with homelessness, educational attainment, positive connections with adults, high-risk behaviors, and access to health insurance. States collect outcomes information by conducting a survey of youth in foster care on or around their 17th birthday, also referred to as the baseline population. States will track these youth as they age and conduct a new outcome survey on or around the youth's 19th birthday; and again on or around the youth's 21st birthday, also referred to as the follow-up population. States will collect outcomes information on these older youth at ages 19 or 21 regardless of their foster care status or whether they are still receiving independent living services from the State. Depending on the size of the State's foster care youth population, some States may conduct a random sample of the baseline population of the 17-year-olds that participate in the outcomes survey so that they can follow a smaller group of youth as they age. All States will collect and report outcome information on a new baseline population cohort every three years.

Units of Response: Current and former youth in foster care

Type of Data: Administrative

Tribal Data: No

Periodicity: Annual

Demographic Indicators: Ethnicity;Race;Sex

SORN: Not Applicable

Data Use Agreement: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/request-dataset.cfm

Data Use Agreement Location: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/order_forms/termsofuseagreement.pdf

Granularity: Individual

Spatial: United States

Geocoding: FIPS Code

Comprehensive dataset containing 1,618 verified Adult foster care service businesses in United States with complete contact information, ratings, reviews, and location data.

Number of children under age 21 in foster care as of July 1 of each year, by race/ethnicity. This is a point-in-time, unduplicated count of children under the supervision of county welfare departments and excludes cases under the supervision of county probation departments, out-of-state agencies, state adoptions district offices, and Indian child welfare departments. The total by race/ethnicity may not add up to total number of children in foster care due to missing values. U.S. totals reflect children in foster care as of Sept. 30 each year. N/A means that data are not available. Data Source: As cited on kidsdata.org, Needell, B., et al. (May 2014). Child Welfare Services Reports forCalifornia, U.C. Berkeley Center for Social Services Research; U.S. data come from Child Trends analysis of Adoption and Foster CareAnalysis and Reporting System data available through the National DataArchive on Child Abuse & Neglect, as cited on KIDS COUNT (May 2014). Retrieved on May 31, 2015.

Excel version of report to City Council required per LL 147

This data explores the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children's Bureau Adoption of Children with Public Child Welfare Agency Involvement by State for Fiscal Years 1995 - 2006. For Fiscal Years 1995 - 1997, The data for FY 1995-FY 1997 were reported by States to set baselines for the Adoption Incentive Program. They came from a variety of sources including the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), court records, file reviews and legacy information systems. For Fiscal Years 1998 - 2006, Unless otherwise noted, the data come from the AFCARS adoption database. Because AFCARS adoption data are being continuously updated and cleaned, the numbers reported here may differ from data reported elsewhere. In addition, data reported for the Adoption Incentive Program will differ from these data because adoptions reported for that program are identified through a different AFCARS data element and must qualify in other ways to be counted toward the award of incentive funds. Counts include adoptions reported as of 6/1/2005. Where appropriate, AFCARS data have been adjusted for duplication.

In 2021, the majority of children living in foster care in the United States were living in foster homes. In that year, about 171,627 children were living in a foster family home with people to whom they were not related.

Number of children under age 21 in foster care as of July 1 of each year, by age group. This is a point-in-time, unduplicated count of children under the supervision of county welfare departments and excludes cases under the supervision of county probation departments, out-of-state agencies, state adoptions district offices, and Indian child welfare departments. The total by age group may not add up to total number of children in foster care due to missing values. U.S. totals reflect children in foster care as of Sept. 30 each year. N/A means that data are not available. Note: Although U.S. data are not available for children ages 1-2 and 3-5, data for children ages 1-5, combined, is available on KIDS COUNT. Data Source: Needell, B., et al. (May 2014). Child Welfare Services Reports for California, U.C. Berkeley Center for Social Services Research; U.S. data come from Child Trends analysis of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System data available through the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect, as cited on KIDS COUNT (May 2014). Retrieved on May 31, 2015.