Preliminary estimates for fiscal year (FY) 2013 on national adoption and foster care statistics were made available at the end of September via The AFCARS Report No. 21 (AFCARS stands for Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System). These estimates are current as of July 2014.
Demographics
There were 402,378 children in foster care on September 30, 2013. In 2012, this number was 396,892. Since 2009 the number had been decreasing; FY 2013 ended this trend. There were more males (52%; 210,738) than females (48%; 191,608), and the mean age was 8.9 years. Thirty-nine percent of children in care were ages 5 and under (of that number, the majority—71%—were ages 0-3). Twenty-nine percent were ages 6-12, 28% ages 13-17, and 4% ages 18-20.
I compared the AFCARS data with the 2013 Population Estimates from the US Census Bureau (Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Single Year of Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013) in order to see disproportionate rates of representation in the child welfare system (Table 1).
While White children and youth comprise the majority (42%) of those in foster care, their actual representation in the general population is 53%, meaning that they are underrepresented in foster care. American Indian and Alaskan Native children and youth are significantly overrepresented in child welfare: They comprise 0.86% of the general child/youth population but 2.15% of those in foster care. The same is true for Black/African American children and youth, and children and youth of two or more races.
Table 1. Rates of Representation of Children and Youth, by Race, in the General Population and in Foster Care in 2013
| Foster Care: 402,378 | General Population: 86,693,808 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Number | Percent | Number | |
| White | 42% | 168,302 | 53% | 45,779,747 |
| Black or African American | 24% | 98,201 | 14% | 12,142,618 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 22% | 86,993 | 24% | 20,551,569 |
| Two or more races | 6% | 24,935 | 4% | 3,280,397 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 2% | 8,652 | <1% | 750,520 |
| Asian | 1% | 2,114 | 5% | 4,021,686 |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 686 | 0% | 167,271 |
Placements and Case Plan Goals
Of the children entering foster care during FY 2013, 17% were less than 1 year, and 48% were 5 and under. The average age at entry was 7.5 years, while the median was 6.4 years.
The most recent placement setting for most of the children was foster family home; 28% were in a relative foster home while 47% were in non-relative foster homes. The most common case plan goal was reunification (53%), with adoption (24%), long-term foster care (5%), and emancipation (5%) making up the next most common case plan goals. Seven percent of the children’s case plan goals had yet to be established. The average time in care was 21.8 months, with the median time in care being 12.8 months.
For those exiting foster care during FY 2013, the average time in care was 20.0 months while the median was 13.5 months. The average age at exit was 9.1 years while the median was 8.1 years. Reunification was the most frequent reason for discharge (51%), followed by adoption (21%), emancipation (10%), living with other relative(s) (8%), and guardianship (7%).
Adoption
The number of children and youth waiting to be adopted on September 30, 2013 was 101,840. This number includes children and youth whose case plan goal was adoption, as well as those whose parents’ rights were terminated; it does not include youth aged 16 and older whose parents’ rights were terminated and whose case plan goal was emancipation. The average age at entry into foster care was 4.9 years, while the average age as of September 30, 2013 was 7.7 years. The average time in foster care was 33.5 months, and the average amount of time since a termination of parental rights (TPR) was 22.0 months; 31% had been in care for 3 or more years. Most of the children and youth waiting to be adopted were in a foster family home, with 53% living with a non-relative and 24% with a relative. Thirteen percent were in a pre-adoptive placement.
There were 50,608 children adopted with public agency involvement in FY 2013. The average age at adoption was 6.2 years (5.1 years for median age). The average amount of time that had elapsed since a TPR was 12.3 months (8.6 months median). Forty-seven percent were White, 21% Black or African American, 21% Hispanic (of any race), 2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 7% two or more races. Most of the adoptions were by a child’s foster parent(s) (58%), though that number also includes relative foster parents (at least 8%, possibly more). Ninety-three percent received an adoption subsidy.
Resources
- Download The AFCARS Report No. 21 here.
- View Trends in Foster Care and Adoption: FFY 2002-FFY 2013 here.
- Check out Population Estimates 2013 from the US Census Bureau here.
- The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has a technical brief using FY 2012 data and 2010 US Census data to look into disproportionality in foster care, view it here: Disproportionality Rates for Children of Color in Foster Care (Fiscal Year 2012) Technical Assistance Bulletin.