Why do kids end up in the foster care system?

In 2023, more than 527,000 children were served in U.S. foster care, including 5,687 in the state of Virginia in July 2025.  Kids enter care for many reasons: abuse, neglect, addiction, incarceration, abandonment, or voluntary placement by struggling parents.  Each circumstance is unique, but all foster children share the need for safety, stability, and love.  Foster care offers a chance for healing and permanency, often through adoption.  With patience and compassion, foster parents can make a life-changing difference for children in crisis.