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.

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 2022, around 18,144 children in California who were the victims of child abuse were in foster care, the most out of any state. Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Indiana rounded out the five leading states for children in foster care in that year.

Number of first entries into foster care for children under age 18. Rates represent a three-year average of data. First entries into foster care are unduplicated counts of children under the supervision of county welfare departments and exclude cases under the supervision of county probation departments, out-of-state agencies, state adoptions district offices, and Indian child welfare departments. For rates, LNE (Low Number Event) refers to data that have been suppressed because there were fewer than 20 first entries. N/A means that data are not available. 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 & Neglect, as cited on KIDS COUNT (May 2014). Retrieved May 31, 2015.

Users can get information related to child welfare in the United States. Background The Child Welfare Information Gateway is part of the Administration of Children and Families. It provides resources and statistics related to child welfare, child abuse, child neglect, adoption and more. Resources are grouped under the following topics: family-centered practice; child abuse and neglect; preventing child abuse and neglect; responding to child abuse and neglect; supporting and preserving families; out-of-home care; achieving and maintaining permanency; and adoption. User Functionality The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides a number of resources for users. Users can search for foster care and adoption agencies by state using the National Foster Care and Adoption Directory; search for relevant publications using the Online Catalog and Library Search tools; search for State Statutes; and link to external databases related to child and family well-being, child abuse and neglect, child welfare and foster care, or adoption. Data Notes Years and data sources are clearly identified for each resource.

The adoption and child welfare industry has experienced overall growth even during the pandemic years, as increased stress-related service needs boosted demand and federal funding boosted revenues. While some service providers relied on private donations, corporate profit was strong in 2021. Technology adoption enabled remote delivery of services and expanded market reach, which helped reduce costs and enhance efficiency. Online matching platforms, VR training systems and case management software are examples of how technology has reduced costs and differentiated services to incentivize niche entry into underserved markets. And because of the strong growth in the number of establishments meeting demand and ample funding support during the pandemic, industry-wide revenue is expected to climb at a CAGR of 4.3% to $30.5 billion through 2025, with revenue growth inching up an estimated 1.7% in 2025 alone. The diversity of services offered and the unique characteristics of funding lead to disparate growth in services. Revenue for many establishments depends on the combination of government funding and private donations, which change with economic and government policy fluctuations, while demographic and social stressors impact the need for services. The disconnect between payors and clients creates an imbalance of funding and demand, adding to revenue volatility. Regional factors impact the provision of services and shortfalls. While demand in some states is growing because of increasing population, the long lead time to entry has led to a shortfall in provision.

Reorganizing key agencies under the new Administration for a Healthy America will bring some volatility to the industry. Government funding, crucial to more than half of industry revenue, faces volatility as restructuring could disrupt services, staffing and program effectiveness. This realignment offers potential efficiency gains through improved collaboration, but details about governance and resources remain in flux. Because of the uncertain impact of federal changes, private funding and state initiatives are vital for near-term future revenue growth. For-profit providers can leverage technology to reduce costs and capitalize on economies of scale, entering markets where nonprofits dominate. Telehealth innovations and online platforms lead to a broader reach and service efficiency, intensifying competition. As demand increases in rapidly growing states, nonprofit providers should streamline operations and secure diverse funding sources to meet community needs effectively. But despite numerous policy, technology and demographic shifts, industry revenue is forecast to climb at a slower CAGR of 1.2% through 2030 to total $32.5 billion with profit holding steady at a slim 3.1%.

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 Businesses statistics on the Adoption & Child Welfare Services industry in United States

Excel version of report to City Council required per LL 147

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.

Employment statistics on the Adoption & Child Welfare Services industry in United States

For HHSC 24-Hour Residential Child Care Facility Rates go to https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Doing_Business/Purchased_Client_Services/Residential_Child_Care_Contracts/Rates/default.asp

Calculations exclude children where cost of care was not covered by Title IV-E or state paid foster care. Children may be duplicated within a month by funding streams.

Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) are calculated by dividing the days of paid foster care by number of the days in the month.

The total of all payment rate types will include duplicated counts due to changes in service levels during the month. Some children are served in more than one eligibility type in a month.

State Paid Foster Care may be funded with Federal Block Grant (TANF).

The methodology used for this chart was modified in FY16 to evaluate at the county level; therefore, the resulting averages may not match prior data books.

Financial overview and grant giving statistics of Foster Parents Association of Washington State

In 2022, about 108,877 children in the United States were waiting to be adopted. This is a decrease from a high of 133,682 children who were waiting to be adopted nationwide in 2007.

Numbers and rates of child victims by single year age and by state for the most recent federal fiscal year for which data are available.

To view more National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) findings, click link to summary page below: https://healthdata.gov/stories/s/kaeg-w7jc

Financial overview and grant giving statistics of Colorado State Foster Parent Associ

Introduction

California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) single and multi-program participation counts with demographics by year and geography, both the Annual (cumulative) and July (point in time) files. The data dictionary for each file is loaded as a resource within the CSV preview page.

Background

The CalHHS Program Data and Dashboard contain participation data related to seven California Health & Human Services agency programs: CalWORKs, CalFresh, In-Home Supportive Services, Foster Care, Medi-Cal (California Medicaid), Women, Infants, & Children, and Developmental Services. Users are able to view these data at the county level or by legislative district level (U.S. Congress, State Assembly, State Senate). Statistics on persons served, persons per case, average grant amount, and basic demographics are presented in both tabular spreadsheets and customizable visualizations by program. In addition to presenting statistics for each program separately, the dashboard also provides data on the number of individuals participating in more than one program at the same time in a given district or county.

Methodology

The Children's Data Network has prepared a methodology document for the process involved in creating this data. If you would like to review the methodology used, please click the link below to visit the CalHHS Records Reconciliation Methodology. https://data.chhs.ca.gov/pages/calhhs-program-counts-methodology

Numbers, percentages, and rates of referrals to child protectives services, by state for the most recent federal fiscal year for which data are available. A referral is a notification to the CPS agency of suspected child maltreatment. Referrals may include more than one child.

To view more National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) findings, click link to summary page below: https://healthdata.gov/stories/s/kaeg-w7jc

This statistic shows the number of children adopted in the United States in 2014, by state. During October 2013 to September 2014, total 5,287 children were adopted in California.