Questions and answers
- How long do children stay in foster care? What are their plans after foster care?
- A family member asked me to be a legal guardian for her children because she is having some serious problems and cannot care for them, but I'm not sure exactly what that means. Can you explain?
- What are the permanency outcomes for children leaving foster care?
An additional 10 percent were emancipated or aged out of foster care, and 3 percent had other outcomes. The percentage of children who left the system for adoption increased by 2 percentage points between FY 2000 and FY 2008. Overall, the percentage of children exiting foster care to a permanent family (i.e., reunification, adoption, or living with relative or guardian) showed only small variations across the two periods. For more information, see the Children's Bureau's Adoption & Foster Care Statistics.
General resources
How the Child Welfare System Works
Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Disponibilidad
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.
Adoption and Foster Care Statistics (AFCARS Reports)
Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data
Frequently requested information
State Laws on Child Welfare
Summaries of State laws on permanency planning for children in foster care.
Concurrent Planning for Timely Permanency for Children
Series Title
State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2021
Presents an overview of State laws and policies that provide for the development and implementation of an alternative permanency plan concurrently with efforts to reunify the child with his or her family. Compared with more traditional sequential planning for permanency, in which one permanency plan is ruled out before an alternative is developed, concurrent planning may provide earlier permanency for a child.
Kinship Care and the Child Welfare System
Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Disponibilidad
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.
Guardianship
Addresses guardianship options for children in out-of-home care, including standby and subsidized guardianship.
Extending Out-Of-Home Care for Youth Past Age 18
Presents information on Federal and State efforts to support youth in out-of-home care past age 18.
AdoptUsKids
Promotes the recruitment and retention of adoptive families for children in foster care.