Foster Care: Safety Net or Trap Door?

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No. 2535 The Backgrounder March 25, 2011
Foster Care Entries, Exits, Number Served, and In Care at Year End
Rate equals the number of children in a given category per 1,000 children in the population.
IN CARE ON LAST DAY
ENTERED CARE TOTAL SERVICE LEFT CARE OF FISCAL YEAR
Fiscal Year Number Rate Number Rate Number Number Rate
1982 161,000 2.6 434,000 6.9 172,000 262,000 4.2
1983 184,000 2.9 447,000 7.1 178,000 269,000 4.3
1984 184,000 2.9 456,000 7.3 180,000 276,000 4.4
1985 190,000 3.0 460,000 7.3 184,000 276,000 4.4
1986 183,000 2.9 456,000 7.3 176,000 280,000 4.5
1987 222,000 3.5 502,000 8.0 202,000 300,000 4.8
1988 199,000 3.1 511,000 8.1 171,000 340,000 5.4
1989 222,000 3.5 569,000 9.0 182,000 387,000 6.1
1990 238,000 3.7 617,000 9.6 217,000 400,000 6.2
1991 224,000 3.4 624,000 9.6 210,000 414,000 6.4
1992 238,000 3.6 652,000 9.9 225,000 427,000 6.5
1993 230,000 3.4 657,000 9.8 212,000 445,000 6.6
1994 254,000 3.7 698,000 10.3 230,000 468,000 6.9
1995 255,000 3.7 710,000 10.4 227,000 483,000 7.0
1996 237,000 3.4 725,000 10.5 218,000 507,000 7.3
1997 251,000 3.6 758,000 10.9 231,000 537,000 7.7
1998 299,000 4.3 817,000 11.7 257,000 559,000 8.0
1999 293,000 4.2 812,000 11.6 250,000 567,000 8.1
2000 293,000 4.0 811,000 11.0 272,000 552,000 7.5
2001 296,000 4.0 813,000 11.0 269,000 545,000 7.4
2002 295,000 4.0 800,000 10.8 278,000 523,000 7.1
2003 289,000 3.9 787,000 10.6 278,000 510,000 6.9
2004 298,000 4.0 786,000 10.6 280,000 507,000 6.8
2005 308,000 4.1 798,000 10.7 287,000 511,000 6.9
2006 303,000 4.1 799,000 10.7 290,000 510,000 6.8
2007 293,000 3.9 783,000 10.5 287,000 494,000 6.6
2008 274,000 n/a 748,000 n/a 288,000 460,000 n/a
2009 255,000 n/a 700,000 n/a 276,000 424,000 n/a