Why It Matters and Impact

Facts About Foster Care

6 in every 1,000 children in the United States are in foster care.

50% of foster parents quit fostering in their first year.

When supported by their community, 90% of foster parents remain after their first year.

Why It Matters

National research shows that children in foster care are at high-risk of dropping out of school and are unlikely to attend or graduate from college (U.S. Department of Education).

Physical Health Consequences

Children who enter foster care are often the victims of physical/psychological abuse and neglect. 
Some long-term physical effects of abuse or neglect may occur immediately (e.g., brain damage caused by head trauma), but others can take months or years to emerge or be detectable. There is a straightforward link between physical abuse and physical health, but it is also important
to recognize that maltreatment of any type can cause long-term physical consequences.

Childhood maltreatment has been linked to higher risk fora wide range of long-term and/or future health problems, including—but not limited to—the following (Widom, Czaja, Bentley, & Johnson, 2012; Monnat & Chandler, 2015; Afifi et al., 2016):

All data shared by Child Welfare Information Gateway: www.childwelfare.gov.