Most Kids Exit Foster Care With a Permanent Connection to a Family
Posted April 18, 2017
By the Annie E. Casey Foundation
More than 240,000 children exited the foster care system in 2015, according to the KIDS COUNT Data Center.
When researchers adopted a broad definition of family — one that is inclusive of birth parents, guardians, relatives, primary caregivers and adopted parents — they found that most of the kids who left care in 2015 (88%) exited to family.
They also found that:
- 63% were 10 years old or younger;
- 52% were male;
- 45% were white;
- 51% unified with their parents or primary caretakers; and
- 12% left the system without a connection to a permanent family.
To learn more about kids exiting foster care — and view data at the state and national level — go to the KIDS COUNT Data Center:
Children exiting foster care
Children exiting foster care by age group
Children exiting foster care by gender
Children exiting foster care by race and Hispanic origin
Children exiting foster care by exit reason
