The AFCARS Report Preliminary FY 1 2011 Estimates as of July 2012  No. 19

The AFCARS Report
Preliminary FY
1 2011 Estimates as of July 2012  No. 19


SOURCE: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) FY 2011 data
2
Numbers At A Glance
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Number in foster care on September 30 of the FY 488,285 463,799 421,350 406,412 400,540
Number entered foster care during  FY 293,276 280,384 255,161 255,402 252,320
Number exited foster care during FY 294,989 288,762 278,157 257,481 245,260
Number waiting to be adopted on September 30 of the FY 133,682 125,741 114,450 109,456 104,236
Number waiting to be adopted whose parental rights (for all
living parents) were terminated during FY
82,020 79,376 71,093 65,611 61,361
Number adopted with public child welfare agency involvement
during FY
52,686 55,236 57,115 53,591 50,516
Children in Foster Care on September 30, 2011      N=400,540
Age as of September 30th
Mean Age 9.3
Median Age 8.8
Less than 1 Year 6% 24,439
1 Year 7% 29,980
2 Years 7% 28,235
3 Years 7% 26,010
4 Years 6% 22,756
5 Years 5% 20,279
6 Years 5% 18,250
7 Years 4% 16,926
8 Years 4% 15,895
9 Years 4% 14,964
10 Years 4% 14,509
11 Years 4% 14,583
12 Years 4% 14,977
13 Years 4% 17,101
14 Years 5% 19,993
15 Years 6% 24,220
16 Years 7% 29,264
17 Years 8% 31,101
18 Years 3% 10,396
19 Years 1% 3,639
20 Years 1% 2,619
                 Sex
Male 52% 209,532
Female 48% 190,932
Placement Settings
Pre-Adoptive Home 4% 14,213
Foster Family Home (Relative) 27% 107,995
Foster Family Home (Non-Relative) 47% 188,222
Group Home 6% 23,624
Institution 9% 34,656
Supervised Independent Living 1% 3,868
Runaway 1% 5,870
Trial Home Visit 5% 20,568
Case Goals
Reunify with Parent(s) or Principal
Caretaker(s) 52% 199,123
Live with Other Relative(s) 3% 13,420
   Adoption 25% 94,629
  Long Term Foster Care 6% 22,744
  Emancipation 5% 20,635
  Guardianship 4% 14,593
  Case Plan Goal Not Yet Established 5% 19,324
                                                         
1
 ‘FY’ refers to the Federal Fiscal Year, October 1
st
 through September 30
th
.
2
 Data from both the regular and revised AFCARS file submissions received by July 12, 2012 are included in this report. Missing
data are excluded from each table. Therefore, the totals within each distribution may not equal the total provided for that
subpopulation (e.g. number in care on September 30th may not match the sum across ages for that group).2 | P a g e
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb
 Preliminary Estimates for FY 2011 as of July 2012 (19), Page 2
Race and Ethnicity
American Indian/Alaskan Native  2% 8,020
Asian  1% 2,296
Black or African American 27% 109,775
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 752
Hispanic (of any race) 21% 83,810
White 41% 164,406
Unknown/Unable to Determine 2% 8,703
Two or more Races  5% 21,837
NOTE: All races exclude children of Hispanic origin. Children of
Hispanic ethnicity may be any race.
Time in Care
Mean Months 23.9
Median Months 13.5
Less than 1 Month 5% 21,278
1 - 5 Months 21% 85,691
6 - 11 Months 19% 77,015
12 - 17 Months 14% 56,803
18 - 23 Months 9% 36,881
24 - 29 Months 7% 26,314
30 - 35 Months 4% 17,979
3 - 4 Years 10% 40,265
5 Years or More 10% 38,303
Children Entering Foster Care during FY 2011     N=252,320
Age at Entry
Mean Age 7.7
Median Age 6.6
Less than 1 Year
16% 39,697
1 Year
8% 18,920
2 Years
7% 17,028
3 Years
6% 15,670
4 Years 6% 14,160
5 Years
5% 12,379
6 Years
5% 11,320
7 Years
4% 10,202
8 Years
4% 9,339
9 Years
4% 8,973
10 Years
3% 8,303
11 Years
3% 8,118
12 Years
4% 9,141
13 Years
4% 10,741
14 Years
5% 13,132
15 Years
6% 15,878
16 Years
6% 16,288
17 Years
4% 11,220
18 Years
0% 708
19 Years
0% 157
20 Years
0% 59
Race and Ethnicity
American Indian/Alaskan Native  2% 5,206
Asian  1% 1,744
Black or African American 23% 58,276
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 605
Hispanic (of any race) 21% 51,969
White 44% 111,563
Unknown/Unable to Determine 3% 8,252
Two or more Races  5% 13,491
NOTE: All races exclude children of Hispanic origin. Children of
Hispanic ethnicity may be any race.  3 | P a g e
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb
 Preliminary Estimates for FY 2011 as of July 2012 (19), Page 3
Children Exiting Foster Care during FY 2011     N=245,260
Age at Exit
Mean Age 9.4
Median Age 8.6
Less than 1 Year 4% 10,780
1 Year 8% 18,542
2 Years 8% 19,190
3 Years 7% 17,448
4 Years 6% 15,221
5 Years 5% 12,932
6 Years 5% 11,756
7 Years 4% 10,627
8 Years 4% 9,722
9 Years 4% 9,178
10 Years 3% 8,558
11 Years 3% 8,032
12 Years 3% 8,040
13 Years 3% 8,196
14 Years 4% 9,238
15 Years 4% 10,874
16 Years 5% 13,070
17 Years 10% 25,183
18 Years 5% 13,370
19 Years 1% 2,540
20 Years 1% 2,345
Time in Care
Mean Months 21.1
Median Months 13.2
Less than 1 Month 12% 30,109
1 - 5 Months 15% 37,413
6 - 11 Months 19% 47,250
12 - 17 Months 15% 36,290
18 - 23 Months 10% 25,237
24 - 29 Months 7% 17,363
30 - 35 Months 5% 12,210
3 - 4 Years 9% 23,288
5 Years or More 7% 16,028
Race and Ethnicity
American Indian/Alaskan Native  2% 4,656
Asian  1% 1,769
Black or African American 26% 62,454
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 540
Hispanic (of any race) 20% 50,061
White 44% 106,982
Unknown/Unable to Determine 2% 4,825
Two or more Races  5% 13,318
NOTE: All races exclude children of Hispanic origin. Children of Hispanic
ethnicity may be any race.
Reasons for Discharge
Reunification with Parent(s) or Primary
Caretaker(s) 52% 125,908
Living with Other Relative(s) 8% 20,076
Adoption 20% 49,866
Emancipation 11% 26,286
Guardianship 6% 15,707
Transfer to Another Agency 2% 4,560
Runaway 1% 1,387
Death of Child 0% 3434 | P a g e
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb
 Preliminary Estimates for FY 2011 as of July 2012 (19), Page 4
Children Waiting to be Adopted3 on September 30, 2011     N=104,236
Age as of September 30th
Mean Age 8.0
Median Age 7.2
Less than 1 Year 4% 3,761
1 Year 9% 9,169
2 Years 9% 9,462
3 Years 8% 8,623
4 Years 7% 7,582
5 Years 6% 6,643
6 Years 6% 5,942
7 Years 5% 5,534
8 Years 5% 5,266
9 Years 5% 5,075
10 Years 5% 4,814
11 Years 5% 4,823
12 Years 5% 4,810
13 Years 5% 4,800
14 Years 5% 4,902
15 Years 5% 5,012
16 Years 4% 4,474
17 Years 3% 3,544
Placement Types
Pre-Adoptive Home 12% 12,961
Foster Family Home (Relative) 23% 24,148
Foster Family Home (Non-Relative) 54% 56,471
Group Home 4% 3,701
Institution 5% 5,534
Supervised Independent Living 0% 85
Runaway 1% 542
Trial Home Visit 1% 617
Sex
Male 53%
Female 47%
Age at Entry into Foster Care
Mean Age 5.0
Median Age 4.1
Less than 1 Year 25% 25,525
1 Year 9% 9,546
2 Years 8% 8,345
3 Years 7% 7,551
4 Years 7% 7,085
5 Years 6% 6,682
6 Years 6% 6,309
7 Years 6% 5,755
8 Years 5% 5,286
9 Years 5% 4,866
10 Years 4% 4,188
11 Years 3% 3,607
12 Years 3% 3,042
13 Years 2% 2,379
14 Years 2% 1,750
15 Years 1% 1,051
16 Years 0% 464
17 Years 0% 99
Race and Ethnicity
American Indian/Alaskan Native  2% 1,856
Asian  0% 439
Black or African American 28% 29,164
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 190
Hispanic (of any race) 22% 22,929
White 40% 41,655
Unknown/Unable to Determine 1% 1,440
Two or more Races  6% 6,513
NOTE: All races exclude children of Hispanic origin. Children of Hispanic ethnicity
may be any race.
                                                         
3
 Waiting children are identified as children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parents’ parental rights have been
terminated. Children 16 years old and older whose parents’ parental rights have been terminated and who have a goal of
emancipation have been excluded from the estimate. 5 | P a g e
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb
 Preliminary Estimates for FY 2011 as of July 2012 (19), Page 5
                                                         
4
 Note that the adoption data reported in this section are from the AFCARS Adoption file. Therefore, the number of adoptions
reported here may not equal the number reported as discharges to adoption from foster care.
Time in Care
Mean Months 23.6
Median Months 11.5
Less than 1 Month 0% 444
1 - 5 Months 4% 4,346
6 - 11 Months 10% 10,207
12 - 17 Months 15% 16,156
18 - 23 Months 15% 15,234
24 - 29 Months 12% 12,450
30 - 35 Months 9% 8,988
3 - 4 Years 19% 20,079
5 Years or More 16% 16,331
Of Children Waiting for Adoption whose
Parents’ Parental Rights have been Terminated (N=61,361), Time
elapsed since termination of parental rights as of September 30,
2011
Mean Months 23.6
Median Months 11.5
Children Adopted with Public Agency Involvement in FY 20114
     N=50,516
Age at Adoption
Mean Age 6.4
Median Age 5.2
Less than 1 Year 2% 1,059
1 Year 11% 5,806
2 Years 14% 7,011
3 Years 12% 5,855
4 Years 10% 4,831
5 Years 8% 3,937
6 Years 7% 3,357
7 Years 6% 2,914
8 Years 5% 2,555
9 Years 5% 2,373
10 Years 4% 2,143
11 Years 4% 1,871
12 Years 3% 1,645
13 Years 3% 1,387
14 Years 2% 1,132
15 Years 2% 919
16 Years 2% 898
17 Years 1% 641
18 Years 0% 149
19 Years 0% 20
20 Years 0% 6
Time elapsed from Termination of Parental Rights to Adoption
Mean Months 13.6
Median Months 9.7
Less than 1 Month 3% 1,275
1-5 Months 25% 12,622
6-11 Months 33% 16,510
12-17 Months 17% 8,491
18-23 Months 9% 4,276
24-29 Months 5% 2,418
30-35 Months 3% 1,383
3-4 Years 4% 2,019
5 Years or more 2% 803
Race and Ethnicity
American Indian/Alaskan Native  2% 773
Asian  0% 233
Black or African American 23% 11,719
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 82
Hispanic (of any race) 21% 10,757
White 45% 22,864
Unknown/Unable to Determine 1% 451
Two or more Races  7% 3,634
NOTE: All races exclude children of Hispanic origin. Children of Hispanic ethnicity
may be any race.  6 | P a g e
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb
 Preliminary Estimates for FY 2011 as of July 2012 (19), Page 6
Adoptive Family Structure
Married Couple 68% 33,718
Unmarried Couple 2% 1,114
Single Female 27% 13,331
Single Male 3% 1,415
Relationship of Adoptive Parents to Child Prior to Adoption
Non-Relative 15% 7,196
Foster Parent 54% 25,610
Stepparent 0% 49
Other Relative 31% 14,462
Sex
Male 51%
Female 49%
Receive Adoption Subsidy
Yes 90% 45,504
No 10% 5,003