why it matters

In 2021, in the US, 206,812 kids entered foster care and 214,971 exited, there were a total of 391,098 children in the system. The average age of a child in foster care is 8 years old. On average a child will spend 21.9 months in care. Neglect and parental drug abuse are the top two reasons children are removed from their homes. 

For kids who age out, the future is bleak. 

• 1 in 5 will experience homelessness between ages 17 and 19, and over 1 in 4 (29%) report being homeless between 19 and 21. 
• 1 in 5 reports being incarcerated between 17 and 19 and between 19 and 21. 
• 1 in 10 report becoming parents between ages 17 and 19 and nearly 1 in 4  report becoming parents between 19 and 21. 
• Only 57% report being employed by the age of 21. 
• Less than 5% graduate from a 4-year college. 
• 25% struggle with PTSD
• Half develop substance abuse problems. 
• Foster youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than non-foster youth. 

On top of the trauma of whatever led to the child being removed, the separation and placement into foster care can often create even more trauma. While a lot has changed with increased education for foster families, there is still a lot of work to do. For one the reimbursement rate for foster children is significantly less than the average cost of caring for a child as documented by the US Census Bureau, US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, and others. This adds stress to the foster parents and to the child because it makes meeting even their most basic needs a challenge. 

Being a foster parent is a hard job and without the proper support, it is no wonder we are experiencing a nationwide shortage of foster parents. With a turnover rate ranging from 30% to 50%, kids are at more and more risk of experiencing increased trauma further preventing them from being able to heal and become productive members of society.