WHAT WE ARE FACING
The Child Welfare system is complex. Turnover is at an all-time high. The number of children entering the foster care system is increasing. Services are becoming less individualized.
There were nearly 437,465 children in foster care in 2016 in which there where more than 117,000 youth in care awaiting adoption in the United States.
The average turnover rate was 40% for front-line workers in New York City foster care in 2017.
The average length of stay for a child in foster care in NY is 32 months, with a national average of 21.9 months.
LGBTQ+ youth represent about 10%-24% of all youth in foster care while 78% of LGBTQ youth in out-of-home reported violence based on their LGBTQ+ identity.
30,000
More than 30,000 youth in foster care age out or run away each year, often leaving without connections to family or caring adults.