February 1, 2009

Foster Care Statistics

This factsheet provides the most recent national statistical estimates for children in foster care from fiscal year (FY) 2006 and also provides earlier data from FY 2000 to allow for some estimate of trends over time. Data were obtained from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). AFCARS collects information on all children in foster care for whom State child welfare agencies have responsibility for placement, care, or supervision and on children who are adopted with public child welfare. Data show that on September 30, 2006, there were an estimated 510,000 children in foster care.