Foster Care System Facts Across the US & Virginia

The foster care system plays a vital role in the child welfare landscape, supporting children in crisis, their birth families, and the foster parents who care for them.

However, many overlook the significance and widespread nature of the system.  According to the Adoption & Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), the total number of children in foster care on the last day of fiscal year 2023 (September 30, 2023) was 343,077.

While foster care is federally regulated, the reality of care looks very different across state lines.  Every state brings its own policies, resources, and cultural factors to the table, leading to wide variations in how children are placed, supported, and reunited with family.  Virginia, for example, continues to grapple with lower rates of kinship care and longer-than-average stays in foster care.

By looking at both national trends and Virginia-specific data, we can begin to understand where the system is working and where it's falling short.

The Big Picture Across the United States

Age Demographics

Foster care serves children from birth to age 21, but teenagers are overrepresented compared to younger age groups. According to a 2022 AFCARS report, about 28 percent of foster children are ages 13 to 20.

In contrast, infants and toddlers make up just 6 percent.  Teens face higher barriers to permanency because they are less likely to be adopted and more likely to experience multiple placements.  This age skew directly impacts long-term outcomes, such as high school graduation rates, mental health stability, and housing after care.

Total Number of Children and Youth in Care

Children enter foster care for all sorts of reasons, and as of 2022, there were 343,077 children in foster care across the United States (AFCARS).  This figure has held steady in recent years, reflecting a system still responding to chronic drivers like parental drug use, domestic violence, and economic instability.

The number of annual entries is also significant: more than 206,000 children entered care in 2022 alone.

Average Length of Stay in Foster Care

According to the AFCARS Report #30 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (covering FY 2022), the mean length of time in care for children in foster care was 22.5 months, while the median was 15.5 months.

While many children spend under two years in care due to quick reunifications or adoptions, those with higher needs, such as adolescents, foster youth with mental health diagnoses, or those in sibling groups, often experience much longer stays.

Permanency Outcomes: Reunification, Guardianship, and Adoption

1. About 47 percent of children in foster care are eventually reunified with a parent or primary caregiver.
2. Another 26 percent go to the foster to adopt route.

That still leaves thousands of youth who exit the system without permanency who have aged out without the support or structure they need to thrive in adulthood.

This gap in permanency remains one of the most urgent national challenges in child welfare.

Key Takeaways: U.S. Foster Care System

• 343,077 children were in foster care nationwide at the end of FY2022 (AFCARS Report #30).
• 28% of foster youth are teens (ages 13–20), the most overrepresented age group.
• The mean length of time in care for children in foster care was 22.5 months, while the median was 15.5 months.
• 47% of children exit care through reunification with family.
• 26% are adopted, most often by foster families.

How Virginia Compares

Age Demographics

Like the national system, Virginia serves children from birth through young adulthood, but the state has an even higher proportion of teens in care.

As of April 2025, approximately 38 percent of foster youth in Virginia are age 13 or older.  This includes 21 percent who are 16 to 18 years old and over 10 percent who are 19 years old or older (Virginia Department of Social Services, 2025).

This age imbalance presents significant challenges. Teens in foster care face greater risks of aging out without permanency, and they are more likely to experience emotional and academic difficulties.  Older youth also have fewer placement options and are less likely to be adopted, which contributes to longer stays in care.

Total Number of Children and Youth in Care

As of April 1, 2025, Virginia reported 5,532 children in foster care (VDSS, 2025).  While this is a small fraction of the national population, it represents a persistent caseload that remains steady year over year.  Like in other states, the primary drivers for entry into care include parental substance abuse, neglect, and physical abuse.

Despite efforts to reduce removals and expand community-based care, the number of children entering care in Virginia has remained stable. This signals a continued need for early intervention programs and increased investment in family support services.

Average Length of Stay in Foster Care

Virginia's average time in care is approximately 20.3 months, which is comparable to the national median of 22.6 months and the mean of 17.5 months.  However, many teens and children with complex needs remain in the system significantly longer.

Children placed with relatives or fictive kin often achieve faster permanency, while those in congregate or multiple placements tend to remain in care longer.  These patterns highlight the importance of stable placements and trauma-informed support for both youth and caregivers.

Permanency Outcomes: Reunification, Guardianship, and Adoption

Virginia lags behind national benchmarks in terms of reunification.  Only about 26 percent of children in Virginia are reunified with their birth families each year, a stark contrast to the national average of 39 percent.

Adoption remains a key permanency route, particularly for younger children and those already placed with resource families. Roughly 25 to 30 percent of children are adopted in Virginia, closely aligning with the national average.

Aging out without permanency is a persistent challenge.  Approximately 18 percent of Virginia foster youth exit the system at age 18 without a legal guardian or permanent family connection.  This is nearly double the national rate of 9 percent and places these young adults at greater risk for homelessness, unemployment, and mental health issues.

Key Takeaways: Foster Care in Virginia

• 5,532 children were in foster care in Virginia as of April 2025
• 38% of youth in care are teens, a significantly higher rate than the national average
• Average stay in foster care is 20.3 months, similar to national figures
• Only 26% of youth are reunified with birth families, far below the U.S. average of 47%

Fact or Fiction: Understanding Foster Care Realities

Most Foster Parents in the U.S. Are in Their 40s

Fact.

The average foster parent in the U.S. is between 40 and 44 years old. This age group represents a stage in life where many caregivers have more stability in their careers, homes, and finances. They are often seeking deeper community involvement or a way to give back.

Most foster families today are composed of working adults with children of their own or experience caring for others. The process to become a licensed foster parent includes a background check, home inspection, medical screening, social assessment, and extensive Foster Parent Training, often involving monthly ongoing training requirements.

Children Usually Stay in Foster Care for Just a Few Months

Fiction.

While some children experience short-term placement, most foster children remain in care longer than commonly believed.  The average length of stay nationwide is 17.5 to 22.6 months, and in Virginia, it's around 20.3 months.

Several factors contribute to more extended stays, including:

• Limited availability of relatives or non-relative caregivers
• Delays in court hearings or parental visitation schedules
• Mental health needs and behavioral issues that require specialized or therapeutic foster care
• A lack of adoptive families for older youth or children with special needs

Prolonged placements can lead to multiple transitions between Foster Homes, contributing to emotional challenges and academic disruptions.

Foster Youth Are On Their Own at 18

Fact, but increasingly changing.

Historically, foster youth "aged out" of the system at 18 without stable housing, financial support, or long-term guidance.  This left thousands of youth, especially unaccompanied youth, at high risk of homelessness, unemployment, and early parenthood.

The introduction of the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, along with state-level transition services and independent living programs, is helping shift that narrative.  In Virginia and across the U.S., some foster youth can now extend support until age 21.  However, many still exit the system without permanency or a reliable support network.

Kinship Care Is Rare in the Foster System

Fiction.
Kinship care is when foster children are placed with relatives or close family friends, and it is becoming more common, not rare.  Nationally, around 35 percent of foster youth are placed with kin, according to Child Trends.

In Virginia, kinship placements have grown due to the Family First Prevention Services Act and expanded Relative or Fictive Kin Placement options.  These arrangements help reduce trauma, preserve cultural identity, and keep children connected to their communities.

Key drivers behind increased kinship placements:

• Policy changes prioritizing kin as the first placement
• Relative caregiver home certification programs
• Community-Based Care initiatives offering trauma-informed services to kinship families

Most Foster Youth Eventually Return to Their Birth Families

Partially true.

Reunification remains the most common exit pathway nationwide, with about 47 percent of children returning to their birth families.

However, this rate varies significantly by state. In Virginia, only around 26 percent of foster children reunify with their families each year, often due to prolonged cases involving parental drug abuse, alcohol dependence, or unresolved social services investigation outcomes.

Factors that support successful reunification include:

• Regular parental visitation and court-monitored progress
• Access to behavioral health services
• Involvement of response specialists and respite providers
• Coordinated planning through child welfare services

When reunification is not possible, children may be placed with adoptive parents or enter managing conservatorship arrangements with relatives.

Foster Youth Are Often Placed in Group Homes

Partially true.

Group homes are still part of the child welfare system, but are less common than they once were.  About 10 percent of foster youth live in group or congregate care settings.  These placements are typically reserved for older youth, children with severe behavioral issues, or those who require Medically Complex Homes.

The goal of modern foster care is to move toward smaller, family-based placements, including therapeutic foster care, when possible.  Research from Child Focus and the Administration for Children and Families continues to show that foster family homes and kinship care yield better long-term outcomes than institutional care.

Turning Awareness Into Action

Behind every statistic is a story of a child experiencing loss, a family navigating a crisis, or a foster parent offering stability during one of life's hardest chapters.  The foster care system, for all its complexity, is ultimately about human connection.

Every person has a role to play.  Whether you open your home, support trauma-informed services, or start a conversation in your neighborhood, you help strengthen the child welfare system and the future of our communities.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get involved, now is the time.  And the good news is, you can start small.  This could be attending an information session, sharing this article with someone, or learning more about the fostering process through FosterVA.