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.
More videos about Foster Care and Adoption
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Episode 4: What makes Therapeutic Foster Care DifferentIn this episode, Richard Kingswell, CEO of FosterVA and Extra Special Parents (ESPVA), explains the difference between traditional foster care and therapeutic foster care…
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A video to explain what happens to foster children when they turn 18?Most foster youth aren't babies; they're teens preparing for adulthood. Every year, about 20,000 children age out of foster care, facing high risks of homelessness,…
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Episode 8: What Do Agencies Look For In Foster Parents?In this episode, I speak directly to one of the most common questions I receive: what are agencies actually looking for in a foster parent? Spoiler alert: there is no…