Foster Children are children of all ages who have been separated from their families of origin due to neglect and/or abuse and are in need of a safe, nurturing home. Most families become involved with the child welfare system because of a report of suspected child abuse of neglect. There are about 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system. In 2012, 254,162 children entered foster care. The age of children in foster care ranges from infancy to age 18. The median age of children in foster care is 9 years old. The median age of children entering foster care is 6.5 years old, while the median age of children exiting foster care is 8.2 years old. The chart below shows the percentage of children in foster care by age.
Race and ethnicity of children in foster care is also tracked. From 2003-2012, the percentage of African American children in foster care decreased by 30 percent, while the percentage of white children, Hispanic children, and children of other races increased. The chart below shows the race/ethnicity of children in foster care.
The length of time a child spends in foster care can vary. The median amount of time spent in care in 2012 was 13.4 months. The median amount of time spent in foster care has increased since 2003. The largest increase in percentages were for children in foster care for 1-11 months and 12-23 months. The largest decrease was for children in care for less than a month and children in care for 5 or more years. The charts below show the data from the years 2000, 2003, and 2012 and show the progress made.
Overall, progression toward the decrease in the number of children in foster care has been made. Also, children that do enter foster care also exit sooner.
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