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  • Frequently Asked Questions: Out-of-Home Care

Frequently Asked Questions: Out-of-Home Care

  • Questions and answers
  • General resources
  • Frequently requested information

Questions and answers

  • How many children are in foster care in the U.S.? In my State?
  • How long do children stay in foster care? What are their plans after foster care?
  • How do I become a foster parent? Will I receive any financial assistance to care for a child(ren)?
  • I'm having problems with foster care services in my State. What should I do?

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General resources

Adoption and Foster Care Statistics (AFCARS Reports)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau
Reports case-level information gathered on all children in foster care for whom State child welfare agencies have responsibility of placement, care, or supervision and on children who are adopted under the auspices of the State's public child welfare agency.

Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau
Reports information on the performance of States on seven national outcome categories and includes data on contextual factors and findings of analyses conducted across States.

From Complaint to Resolution: Understanding the Child Welfare Grievance Process

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 576KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 545KB)
Year Published
2022
Provides parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and other caregivers with information about the best way to resolve their differences with a service provider or other child welfare professional. Since child welfare agency policies and procedures are State-specific, this factsheet presents information from a national perspective and points to additional resources about where to find information related to a particular State. The information and resources provided in this factsheet address the majority of complaints associated with the child protective services system.

How the Child Welfare System Works

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 789KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 481KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2020
Provides a brief overview of the purposes and functions of the child welfare system and includes a flowchart illustrating how cases typically move through the system.

National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau
Connects to information, like federal guidance and data briefs, as related to youth in foster care. Beginning in 2010, the NYTD has collected data about youth in foster care, including sex, race, ethnicity, date of birth, foster care status, and outcomes of those who aged out of care.

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Frequently requested information

A Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System (PDF - 847 KB)
McCarthy, Marshall, Collins, Arganza, Deserly, & Milon (2005)
Addresses many of the questions that families face when they become involved in the child welfare system.
Also available in Spanish: Guía para la familia sobre el sistema de bienestar infantil (PDF - 890 KB)

Kinship Care and the Child Welfare System

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 419KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 460KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2022
Discusses issues of interest to the growing number of grandparents, other relatives, and family friends caring for children whose parents are unable to care for them. This factsheet is designed to help kin caregivers work effectively with the child welfare system. It also includes resources, such as links to more detailed information or places to find support, to help caregivers learn about and navigate the child welfare system.

State Foster Care Information Websites

Series Title
Related Organizations Lists
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Year Published
2020
Includes website links to foster care information provided on State child welfare agency websites in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Links to State foster care information in Spanish are provided when available.

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National Foster Care Month. Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents

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