Did You Know?
Information about foster care
Did you know.....?
- 20,146 children were in foster care in the state of Missouri in 2019.*
- Of those 20,146 children, 4,334 were age 15 and older.*
- The average length of stay in foster care in 2019 was 23.2 months.*
- The average number of placements for children in foster care in 2019 was 4. That means children move to different homes or facilities an average of 4 times during their stay in foster care. *
- In 2019, 4,995 children had a case plan for adoption, but only 1,819 had an adoption finalized.*
- Relatives and close family friends can be foster parents for children they know. These are called relative or kinship placements. In fact, relative placements are the first placements sought when a child is brought into state custody. Many relatives bring these children into their homes, regardless of their own difficult situations and the minimal financial support they receive to care for the child(ren).
In the state of Missouri young adults do not age out of foster care until their 21st birthday.
- 432 young adults aged out of foster care or "achieved independence in Missouri in 2019.*
Young adults who age out of foster care:
- 70% would like to go to college, but only 3% will earn a college degree.
- 24% will not have a high school diploma or GED.
- 1 in 2 will develop a substance dependence.
- 50% will be unemployed within 4 years of aging out.
- The 50% who are employed make an average annual income of $7500.
- At least 26% will experience homelessness.
- A quarter of these young adults have already given birth to or fathered a child.
- Are more likely to be convicted of a crime than peers of their same age.
- Most have been in foster care for more than 3 years.
*Source: Missouri Children’s Division FY 2019 Report