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Child Welfare/Foster Care Statistics
These resources provide State and national data on the number of children in the child welfare system, trends in foster care caseloads, and well-being outcomes. Learn about sources of data and statistics on children and families in the child welfare system and considerations for understanding the limitations and potential use of the available data.
Because time is needed to compile, analyze, and publish data, statistical publications often are released 2 or more years after the time period being analyzed. Information Gateway makes every effort to ensure the resources provided are the most current statistics available.
Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Features a custom report builder that offers access to the most current Child Welfare Outcomes data before the full report is published. The website provides information on the performance of States in seven outcome categories as well as data on contextual factors and findings of analyses conducted across States.
State and national data
Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS)
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
AFCARS collects case-level information 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.
Alternative Responses to Child Maltreatment : Findings from NCANDS | |
Author(s): | United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation., Walter R. McDonald and Associates. Shusterman, Hollinshead, Fluke, Yuan |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 1,290KB) |
Year Published: | 2005 - 69 pages |
This report is the second in a series of three reports, based on the Secondary Analysis On Child Abuse and Neglect Topics of Current Policy Interest. This research examined case-level data reported to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) by six States Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Wyoming that offered both alternative response and traditional investigation. Case characteristics, circumstances of reports, and outcomes were examined for 313,838 children of whom 140,072 received an alternative response during 2002. Overall, the findings from the included States indicate that the use of alternative response was either increasing or ... |
Center for State Foster Care and Adoption Data
Chapin Hall Center for Children & American Public Human Services Association
Provides subscribing State child welfare agencies with a national database to assess the impact of their program initiatives over time.
Child Abuse and Neglect State Profiles
First Star
Collects a range of data and indicators from State agencies to highlight aspects of the child welfare system.
Child Welfare Outcomes 2007-2010: Report to Congress | |
Author(s): | Children's Bureau. |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 9,104KB) |
Year Published: | 2012 - 403 pages |
Mandated by the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, this annual report analyzes the performance of state child welfare agencies on seven child welfare outcomes including the recurrence of child abuse and neglect, permanency planning, placement stability, and the safety of children in foster care. See a list of all Child Welfare Outcomes Reports. Data were obtained from state reports provided to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems (AFCARS) and the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) in 2007 -- 2010. The report contains information on how the Department of Health and Human ... |
Foster Care Data Snapshot (PDF - 900 KB)
Child Trends
Data Snapshot, May 2011
Uses the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System to explore State and national trends in the number of children entering and currently in foster care from 2000–2009.
Data Snapshot on Foster Care Placement: Moving in the Right Direction: More Kids in Families (PDF - 344 KB)
Kids Count (2011)
Discusses the progress made by States to increase the rates of children placed in foster care with families and reduce the rates of children placed in institutions and group homes.
Disproportionate Representation of African-American Children in Foster Care: Secondary Analysis of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, 2005
Knott & Donovan
Children and Youth Services Review, 32(5), 2010
View Abstract
Examines the association between foster care placement and the association of African-American children residing in foster care while controlling for child, caregiver, household, and abuse characteristics.
National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Seeks to describe the child welfare system and the experiences and well-being of children and families who come in contact with the system.
Number of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Continues to Rise; Increasing 64 Percent Since 1999 (PDF - 227 KB)
Fostering Connections Resource Center (2010)
Uses national and State data to discuss trends in the number of youth aging out of foster care and addresses the possible impact of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008.
Section 11 - Child Protection, Foster Care, and Adoption Assistance (PDF - 3266 KB)
U.S. House of Representatives (2008)
In Green Book
Provides data on funding and participants of federally funded child welfare programs, including trends that affect child welfare populations and national foster care and adoption information.
Data sources
Federal and State Reporting Systems
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Overview of the Federal and State reporting systems that provide data to monitor and improve child welfare outcomes: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), National Child Abuse and Neglect Data Systems (NCANDS), National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), and Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS).
National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect
Facilitates secondary analysis of research data relevant to the study of child abuse and neglect by making data available to researchers.
Understanding the data
Child Welfare Monitoring
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Overview of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) process and reports, Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews, Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Assessment Reviews, and the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) Assessment Reviews.
Data and Child Welfare Practice
North Carolina Division of Social Services and the Family and Children's Resource Program
Children's Services Practice Notes, 9(4), 2004
How data collection and analysis can help child welfare professionals better serve children and families.
National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
Information on improving State data systems and sources of data and statistics.
Rate and Number 2020 Data Brief: Why Do Both the Rate and Number of Children in Out-of-Home Care Give a Complete Understanding of Which States Have the Greatest Potential for Reduction? (PDF - 192 KB)
Casey Family Programs (2008)
Highlights and tracks long-term trends in the rates and numbers of children in out-of-home care and details to educate stakeholders about how to analyze key trends with respect to the 2020 goals.
Understanding Data and the Child Welfare System (PDF - 1516 KB)
California Child Welfare Co-Investment Partnership
Insights, 1, 2009
Examines the links between data, policy, and outcomes for children in the California child welfare system and explains how child welfare data can provide an important resource for State policymakers, child welfare professionals, and other stakeholders.