Foster Care: Facts & Importance By Emily Lake

Foster Care: What is it? Definition: “A system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a foster parent. The placement of the child is normally arranged through the government or a social service agency. “

Reasons for placement in foster care Percent Neglect Parental substance abuse Inability to cope Physical abuse Child behavior problem Inadequate housing Parental incarceration Abandonment Sexual abuse 61% 36% 14% 13% 11% 10% 8% 5% 4%

Ethnicities of foster care children

Amount of Foster Care Placements 40% foster children go to only 1 foster placement 25% go to 2 placements 13% go to 3 22% go to 4 or more placements

Types of placements 45% Non relative 30% Relative 13% Group home/state institution 11% Other

Child Abuse One of the main factors of children going into foster care Ranked 3rd cause of death in U.S. children under age of 4 79% children killed of abuse under 4 yrs. old 25% are infants Average of 5 kids per day die in U.S. due to abuse or neglect

Youth in Foster Care Foster care has huge impact on the education of children Kids in foster care are statically shown to do poorer in school 15% less likely to complete high school 50% receive high school diploma 10% go on to college Of 10% only 3% graduate 52% foster kids attend schools that are ranked in the lowest 30%

Outcomes of children after leaving Foster Care 50% homeless during 1st 2 yrs. of leaving foster care unemployed adults 60 % girls become pregnant within few yrs. of leaving Over half will be returned to parents 22% will be adopted Few will transfer their guardianships and even fewer will emancipate

Glimpse of hope Some many people have a passion for foster care and children Foster Care to Success is an organization that desires to make a difference in our nation’s foster care system You can see the success of so many families whose lives were made whole because of adoption and foster care here

Bringing it Closer to home In Arkansas there is a Foster Care organization called The Call. It’s purpose is to help aid those foster families so that they know they aren’t alone, and also encouraging others to become loving foster families. They provide as much as they can for the families and the children in order for there to be success and support of both sides.

References Childtrends.org Childrensrights.org Promises2kids.org