485,836 National children were in foster care at the end of 2007

• 63,019 foster children (13%) were between ages of 0 and 1; Nationally: 13%
• 102,887 foster children (21.2%) were between ages of 2 and 5; Nationally: 21.2%
• 132,837 foster children (27.3%) were between ages of 6 and 12; Nationally: 27.3%
• 187,003 foster children (38.5%) were between ages of 13 and 21; Nationally: 38.5%
• National children spent an average of NA months in foster care; Nationally: 27.5 months
• 57,890 children (12%) were in foster care for more than five years; Nationally: 12%
• 121,390 children (25%) were living with relatives in foster care; Nationally: 25%

National's foster care caseload by race/ethnicity in 2007

• 153,382 children in foster care (31.6%) were non-Hispanic black; Nationally: 31.6%
• 196,882 children in foster care (40.5%) were non-Hispanic white; Nationally: 40.5%
• 9,339 children in foster care (1.9%) were American Indian/Alaskan Natives; Nationally: 1.9%
• 2,787 children in foster care (0.6%) were Asian; Nationally: 0.6%
• 983 children in foster care (0.2%) were Hawaiian; Nationally: .2%
• 21,092 children in foster care (4.3%) were multiple races or ethnicities; Nationally: 4.3%
• 89,964 children in foster care (18.5%) were Hispanic (any race); Nationally: 18.5%
• 11,680 children in foster care (2.4%) were denoted Other; Nationally: 2.4%

Number of different placements in which a foster child lived in National

• 166,613 children in foster care (34.3%) experienced just 1 placement; Nationally: 34%
• 117,370 children in foster care (24.1%) experienced 2 placements; Nationally: 24%
• 67,793 children in foster care (13.9%) experienced 3 placements; Nationally: 14%
• 133,368 children in foster care (27.4%) experienced 4 or more placements; Nationally: 27%

133,667 National children were waiting for adoption in 2007

• 17,182 foster children (13%) were waiting to be adopted between ages of 0 and 1; Nationally: 13%
• 38,436 foster children (29%) were between ages of 2 and 5; Nationally: 29%
• 46,502 foster children (35%) were between ages of 6 and 12; Nationally: 35%
• 30,447 foster children (23%) were between ages of 13 and 17; Nationally: 23%

Where did National's children go after leaving foster care in 2007?

• 291,358 children in National exited foster care in 2007
• 151,827 children (52%) were returned to their parents; Nationally: 52%
• 51,259 children (18%) were adopted; Nationally: 18%
• 44,563 children (15%) left to live with relatives or via guardianships; Nationally: 15%
• 28,931 children (10%) "aged out" of foster care at 18 or older; Nationally: 10%
• 11,680 children (5%) left for other reasons (ran away, transferred, died); Nationally 5%

National IV-E foster care payments and expenditures

• NA children in National child welfare system are eligible for Title IV-E federal foster care reimbursement with an average monthly payment of $NA per child.
• Title IV-E Foster Care expenditures 2006: $4,001,967,522
• Title IV-E Adoption expenditures 2006: $1,789,198,322

For more information about your state's child welfare financing, please visit the State Child Welfare Policy Database at www.childwelfarepolicy.org.

*Except for the expenditure data, this information is from federal AFCARS data, 2007