BY SOPHIA STEWART

What is Foster Care? Foster care is a safe place to be if a child cannot live

with his/her family or on their own. Children enter foster care because of neglect, abuse, a family crisis, or the child's acting out at home.

Foster care is meant to be temporary. Children are encouraged to maintain contact with their

families, until they can be reunited.While the child is out of the home, Social Services is working

to provide services so that the child can return to his parents.

“Foster Parents”

Family members and other persons close to the child are contacted to see if they can give a permanent home to the child.

If not, then individuals and families that are not related to the child are then sought to foster the child/children. These individuals are noticed by the term “foster parents”

Foster parents are used to help children grow by providing them with stability, affection, consistency, and nurturing. Sometimes foster families are asked to provide permanent foster care or to adopt the child in their care. 

Current Status of the NYFoster Care:

In 2009 there were 24,605 children in foster care in New York State.

55% of the children were discharged 45% were left in the system

Total Percent

New York City (5-Boroughs) 15,650 63.60%Rest of State  8,955 36.40%Statewide Total 24,605 100.00%

Total  Percent

Male 12,880 52.30%Female 11,725 47.70%

Total Percent

0-2 4,062 16.50%3-5 3,659 14.90%6-9 3,829 15.60%10-13 3,576 14.50%14-17 6,688 27.20%18+ 2,791 11.30%

Total  Percent

African American 12,341 47.20%Latino 5,215 20.50%White 4,914 18.50%Asian 141 0.50%Native American 60 0.20%Unknown 1,934 13.10%

Total Percent

Foster Boarding Home 13,167 53.50%Approved Relative Home 6,194 25.20%Institution 3,008 12.20%Group Residence 292 1.20%Group Home 863 3.50%Other 1,081 4.40%

Total Percent

Return to Parent 7,322 54.30%Released to Relative 1,493 11.10%Released to Own Responsibility 1,511 11.20%Adoption 2,186 16.20%Other 962 7.10%

13,474 54.76%11,131 45.24%

NY Foster Care Population: January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009

New York

Where are the Children Housed- Facility Type

Children Discharged - By Destination

Total Amount Not-Discharged from Foster Care Total Amount Discharged from Foster Care

Gender of the Children in Care

Age

Race/Ethnicity

New York Statewide Total - Breakdown by Category

Current NY State Statistics

Nationwide Outlook on

Children, Entering and Exiting Foster Care

On September 30th 2008:

463,000 children were in foster care

273,132 children entered

285,196 children exited

Trends in Foster Care 2002-2008

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/trends02-08.pdf

The Reality When you look t the statistics you would think this system is so great,

but is it really? Children in foster care move around sometimes on average 2- 8 times

a year to a new home or facility Some are broken up from their family and they never see them again –

siblings separatedThere are: High incidences of abuse High incidences of runaways Increase in homeless children, most from runaway cases High drop out rates from Middle and High school Worst case scenario – the child spends their whole life in the system!

The data talks about the children coming in and out, but what happens to the those that re-enter each year?

Development ConcernsMore than 500 000 children are in foster care in the United

StatesMost of these children have been the victims of repeated abuse

and prolonged neglect and have not experienced a nurturing, stable environment during the early years of life.

Such experiences are critical in the short- and long-term development of a child's brain and the ability to subsequently participate fully in society.

Children in foster care have disproportionately high rates of

physical, developmental, and mental health problem and often have many unmet medical and mental health care needs.10 Pediatricians, as advocates for children and their families, have a special responsibility to evaluate and help address these needs.

What’s needed!Pediatricians and other professionals with expertise in child

development should be proactive advisors to child protection workers and judges regarding the child's needs and best interests, particularly regarding issues of placement, permanency planning, and medical, developmental, and mental health treatment plans.

The screening process of foster parents needs to be more in depth.

More case workers are needed!

Some Cases are Good

Some not so good

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