Question: What is the current number of kids in care?

 

Over the past 6 years, Arizona has continued to see record numbers of kids coming into care. In 2010, there were roughly 10,000 kids in foster care. As of May 2016, there are just under 19,000 kids in foster care. Why such a drastic increase? Here are the top 2 reasons for the increase in kids in foster care:

  1. Neglect – Between 70-80% of kids are coming into foster care due to neglect with a majority of these being related to substance abuse.
  2. The increased number of kids in foster care has taxed the systems that were in place, delaying: services offered to parents, court hearings, visitations as well as permanency efforts, birth family reunification, guardianship placements, and adoptions.

 

Thank you for your great question! If you have questions, send them to #youaskedfa or Kim@fosteraz.com

 

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