Foster Care in U.S. Statistics by Race

When you examine the race of children in the system, you’ll notice disheartening disparities within the latest foster care statistics in America. Diving into these racial and ethnic figures can help us understand how we can better support children and improve our communities.

Number of children in foster care in the U.S. by race

The racial composition of the U.S. foster care system reveals significant disparities. By examining foster care statistics by race, we can gain insights into the disproportionality that affects children of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Below are the preliminary statistics for Federal Fiscal Year 2024, provided by the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS).

Note: The total number of children in foster care has decreased to 328,947 as of the latest 2024 reporting period.

Percentage of kids in foster care by race:

White: 156,570 children (40%)
Black or African American: 81,101children (25%)
Hispanic (of any race): 69,931 children (21%)
Two or more races: 28,706 children (9%)
American Indian / Alaskan Native: 8,446 children (3%)
Unknown/Unable to Determine: 5,043 children (2%)
Asian: 1,769 children (1%)
Native Hawaiian / other Pacific Islander: 673 children (0%)

Unpacking Entry and Exit Dynamics in Foster Care by Race

Entry Patterns in Foster Care

White Children: With 75,571 entries, accounting for 42% of all new cases, White children are overrepresented in foster care entries.
Black or African American Children: Representing 23% of the entries with 39,075 children, this group is significantly overrepresented relative to their percentage in the general population.
Hispanic Children: Making up 20% of the entries with 34,924 children, Hispanic representation in foster care is currently lower than their demographic share.

Exit Patterns from Foster Care

White Children: Comprising 76,836 exits, making up 43% of the total, the exit data for White children aligns closely with their entry figures.
Black or African American Children: With 37,549 exits, making up 21% of the total, there's a reduction from their 23% entry percentage, indicating this group experiences longer stays in foster care compared to their initial representation.
Hispanic Children: 37,954 Hispanic children exited foster care, representing 21% of all exits.

Adoption Statistics by Race: Who Waits the Longest?

When we look at the 70,421 children with a permanency plan for adoption as of September 30, 2024, we see a clear pattern of disproportionality

Black or African American Children: Represent 24% of those with a plan for adoption (16,652 children) which remains high relative to their entry rate.

Hispanic Children: Make up 21% of those with an adoption plan (14,522 children).

Adoption Outcomes: A Closer Look

The dynamics of adoption don't always reflect the diversity of children entering foster care. According to the FFY 2024 AFCARS Report, here is how the racial breakdown of children who exited care to adoption looks:

White Children: Account for 43% of finalized adoptions.
Black or African American Children: Account for 21% of finalized adoptions.
Hispanic Children: Represent 21% of finalized adoptions.

Note: While the percentage of Black children exiting to adoption (21%) is close to their exit rate, it is still lower than their 25% representation in the total foster care population. This gap suggests that Black children remain in care longer before achieving permanency compared to their White peers, who represent 40% of the population but 43% of adoptions.

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What Does This Mean?

‍These figures reveal more than just numbers; they tell us about the lives of children who spend their days hoping for a family. The overrepresentation of Black and Hispanic children in the adoption waiting list is particularly concerning and calls for a deeper investigation into why these children face longer waits. This insight is crucial for policymakers, social workers, and communities striving to make the foster care and adoption process as fair and swift as possible.

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Racial Disproportionality in Foster Care

Racial disproportionality is when a certain racial or ethnic group is overrepresented or underrepresented compared with the percentage of its total population.

For example, if black children represent 14% of all children in America, you would expect about 14% of foster care children to be black.

Anything significantly higher or lower than that percentage (14%) is a disproportionality.

Black Children are Overrepresented in Foster Care

Black children are overrepresented in foster care.

While they represent roughly 14% of the total child population in the United States, they represent 25% of all children in foster care as of the end of 2024.

Let’s compare this with foster care numbers for other races / ethnicities:

White children make up roughly 48% of all children in the U.S. but only 40% of the foster care population. They are technically underrepresented.
Hispanic children represent roughly 27% of all children in the U.S., but only 21% of children in foster care.
Asian children make up roughly 6% of America's children, but only 1% of the foster care population.

Compared to other races, there’s a disproportionately large number of black children who are entering and remaining in foster care.

Reasons for Racial Disproportionality in Foster Care

What causes racial disproportionality in foster care?

There are several factors that may explain why racial disproportionality exists:

Systemic racism: According to a 2017 study, Black children are more likely to be separated from their families and placed in foster care. They’re also less likely to be reunited with their families. Child welfare professionals may knowingly or unknowingly allow their personal biases to impact their work in reporting, investigation, intervention, and placement. Black parents may also be wrongly targeted by law enforcement or suffer employment , which can increase the likelihood of a Black child being removed from a home.
Stereotypes/biases: Black children may have a more difficult time being adopted due to stereotypes about or biases against Black people, and this causes them to remain in the system for a longer time or until they age out of it.
Lack of Community Investment: Schools in areas with predominantly Black or Hispanic people usually get less funding than schools in predominantly White areas. Most school districts are funded largely by property taxes. Sadly, homes in black neighborhoods often suffer from biased appraisals and devaluations that hurt the ability of black communities to fund resources for their residents. With fewer educational resources, Black youth are more likely to struggle economically or become involved with the criminal justice system, creating a cycle of economic inequity.

It’s important to remember there’s no one cause for the racial disproportionality in foster care. The problem is caused by a wide range of interconnected economic and social issues.

While policy change is needed, support programs for foster children and foster families can also make a significant impact.

Penny Lane Support

Penny Lane supports foster children and foster families.

Family Programs: Our Family Programs provide essential resources for families caring for foster children. Our programs are designed to help prepare families for the challenges of raising a foster child and in strengthening their family connections.
In-Home Services: We provide In-Home Services to help families nurture foster children with special needs or trauma, and give post-adoption support.

Want to make a difference? Donate to Penny Lane to help us improve the lives of foster children and reduce the disproportionality in foster care and race. You can also support our mission through volunteering or mentorship.

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How Many Kids Are in Foster Care in the US? Understanding Adoption Statistics by Race