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Foster Care Facts:These are very old statistics but it is difficult to find more current stats. The number of children in the Washington State foster care system increases by about 1,200 children per year.
Facts About Children in Foster Care in Washington
To find out how to become a foster parent in Washington, please call 1-800-760-5340 or visit:http://www1.dshs. wa.gov/ca/fosterparents/
To learn more about adoption in Washington, please visit:
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/ca/adopt/index.asp
Total Population:
10,323 children were in the foster care system in Washington on July 31, 2008. Most children are placed temporarily in foster care due to parental abuse or neglect.
Age:
6.5% Infant< 1 year
23.3% 1-3 years
20.4%4-7 years
14.2% 12-14 years
18.6% 15-17 years
Gender:
Male: 50.8%
Female: 49.2%
Race and Ethnicity:
Race/Ethnicity In out-of-home care In state child population
Black (non-Hispanic) 9.8% 4.3%
White (non-Hispanic) 59.7% 80.9%
Hispanic 15.5% 14.6%
Am. Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic) 12.1%2.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) 1.4% 6.8%
Unknown/Other 1.7% N/A
2 or More Races (non-Hispanic) 11.8% 6.0%
Length of Stay:
The median length of stay for children in out-of-home care in July 2008 was 572 days or
about 17.6 months.
Reunified:
4,729 of the young people who exited from out of home care in Fiscal year
2008 werereunified with their birth parents or primary caregivers.
Foster Homes:
In July 2008, there were a total of 5,875 licensed non-relative foster homes in Washington.
38.7% of youth living in out-of-home care were residing with their relatives.
What is Foster Care/Foster to Adopt?
Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent
Foster Care Resources
Connect: Meet Other Foster Families
Sources:
i. All data reported is from the Department of Social and Health Services Children's Administration Case and Management Information System (CAMIS) provided by the Decision Support Unit unless otherwise noted.
ii. U.S. Census Bureau, Census data as of 7/1/06
