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.

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)

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