Facts About Foster Care

Facts about Foster Care:

Based on a 2016 report from Children’s Rights there were over 691,000 children that served in foster care, but on any given day there was roughly 443,000 children. Out of those 443,000 children 123,000 were waiting to be adopted and only 59,400 were adopted. 

  • The average time a foster child is in foster care is 20 months, but the average time for adoption is 34 months.
  • The mean household income for families with foster children is $56,364.
  • Male foster youth are 4x likely to commit a crime, while female foster youth are 10x likely.
  • 25% of foster youth experience homelessness after 4 years of leaving the system.
  • In 2012, 48% of former male foster youth were employed.
  • Experience 7x drug dependence and 2x alcohol dependence.
  • 44% of foster youth graduate high school.
  • Only 25% of foster youth go to college, of the 25% only 3% graduate.
  • About 30% of children in foster care have severe emotional, behavioral, or developmental problems. Physical health problems are also common.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry children in foster care often struggle with the following issues:

  • blaming themselves and feeling guilty about removal from their birth parents
  • wishing to return to birth parents even if they were abused by them
  • feeling unwanted if awaiting adoption for a long time
  • feeling helpless about multiple changes in foster parents over time
  • having mixed emotions about attaching to foster parents
  • feeling insecure and uncertain about their future
  • questioning positive feelings for foster parents

Foster parents get paid by their states to help take care of these foster children. These reimbursements from the state can range from as low as $399/month ($13.30/day) to as high as $900/month ($30.00/day). This amount only covers basic costs of living like: Food, Clothing and Transportation. Even sometimes this amount doesn’t cover those necessities and foster parents have to pay for them out of their own income. 

Facts about the psychology of music and art:

"Children will be better off in the long run if they're allowed just to be in the moment and express themselves." Lisa Ecklund-Flores, Co-Founder of Church Street School for Music and Art
  • Fostering creativity will help foster children develop mentally, socially and emotionally.
  • Ability to analyze and problem solve
  • Improve motor skills
  • Help boost self confidence