Child Trends
About Us
Services
ExpertsCareers
Contact Us
LinkedInYouTubeBlueskyInstagram
ExpertsCareers
LinkedInYouTubeBlueskyInstagram
More Than One in Four U.S. Children Who Exited Foster Care in 2024 Were Adopted

More Than One in Four U.S. Children Who Exited Foster Care in 2024 Were Adopted

Almost Half of U.S. Children Who Exited Foster Care in 2024 Were Reunited With Their Families

Almost Half of U.S. Children Who Exited Foster Care in 2024 Were Reunited With Their Families

Foster Care Emancipations Drop to a 10-Year Low After a Decade of Growth

Foster Care Emancipations Drop to a 10-Year Low After a Decade of Growth

Post-secondary Education Enrollment Remains Stable Among Youth With Foster Care Experience

Post-secondary Education Enrollment Remains Stable Among Youth With Foster Care Experience

344,000 U.S. Children of All Ages Lived in Foster Care in 2024

344,000 U.S. Children of All Ages Lived in Foster Care in 2024

The Number of Older Youth in Congregate Foster Care Decreased in 2024

The Number of Older Youth in Congregate Foster Care Decreased in 2024

Child welfare agencies’ use of state and local funds, SFYs 2012-2022

State and Local Funding for Child Welfare Has Largely Held Steady

Child welfare agencies’ use of smaller federal funding sources, SFYs 2012-2022*

Child Welfare Agencies Increasingly Use Smaller Federal Funding Sources, Including Various Grants

Child welfare agencies’ use of SSBG funds, SFYs 2012-2022

Child Welfare Agencies Are Relying Less on Social Services Block Grant Funds

Child welfare agencies’ use of TANF funds, SFYs 2012-2022

Child Welfare Agencies Are Using Fewer TANF Funds

Child welfare agencies’ use of Medicaid funds, SFYs 2012-2022

Child Welfare Agencies’ Use of Medicaid Has Increased Since 2012

Figure 1: Where child welfare agencies spent funds in SFY 2022

The Largest Share of Child Welfare Spending Is on Out-of-Home Placements

The youth (ages 15-24) overdose death rate has trended below pre-pandemic levels

Youth Overdose Death Rate Trending Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Across all states, 2 to 56 percent of children in foster care were placed with relatives in fiscal year 2024

New Data Reveal Wide Variation in States’ Use of Formal Kinship Care

iv-e1

Child Welfare Agencies’ Use of Title IV-E Funding Has Increased Since 2012

Child welfare agencies’ use of Title IV-B funds, SFYs 2012-2022*

Child Welfare Agencies’ Use of Title IV-B Funding Has Decreased

Figure: Foster youth employment at age 21 continues to grow, despite a dip during the pandemic

Foster Youth Employment at Age 21 Recovers From Pandemic-era Dip

Figure: Two thirds of foster youth remained stably housed through age 21, fiscal year 2024

Two Thirds of Foster Youth Remain Stably Housed Through Age 21

Figure: Child welfare agencies’ spending, SFYs 2012-2022

Total Child Welfare Agency Spending, Across All Sources, Has Increased Over the Decade

Figure: Child welfare agencies’ use of federal funds, SFYs 2012-2022

Child Welfare Agencies Draw on a Range of Federal Funding Sources, Such as Title IV-E

Figure: The number of children with substantiated/indicated referrals for maltreatment in the United States decreased from 2020-2023*

Reports of Substantiated or Indicated Child Maltreatment in the United States Declined From 2020-2023

Figure: The number of Vermont families receiving a child care subsidy increased by nearly half from July 2023 to April 2025

Vermont’s Child Care Subsidy Expansion Means More Families Have Affordable Child Care

Figure: The percentage of youth ages 14-21 who exit foster care to permanency has remained low for nearly a decade

Rates of Permanency Remain Low Among Older Youth in Foster Care

Figure: Just under 40 percent of fourth graders and 30 percent of eighth graders score at or above a proficient level (including advanced) in math

Low Math Scores Highlight Need for New Teaching Strategies

Understanding Child Care Access Challenges Requires Family-Centered Solutions

Understanding Child Care Access Challenges Requires Family-Centered Solutions

By:
Access to Child Care and Early Education
Jun 15, 2026

Latest from Child Trends

Women in Virginia’s Comprehensive Health Investment Project Saw Increased Employment After One Year
Women in Virginia’s Comprehensive Health Investment Project Saw Increased Employment After One Year
By:
Supported Families
Jun 30, 2026
How Fathers Spend Time With Their Children
How Fathers Spend Time With Their Children
By:
Fatherhood
Jun 18, 2026
How States Can Use Workforce Pell to Address ECE Workforce Shortages
How States Can Use Workforce Pell to Address ECE Workforce Shortages
By:
Early Childhood Workforce
Jun 11, 2026

Latest Research

Daily Experiences Are Associated With Developmental Well-Being at Age 3
Daily Experiences Are Associated With Developmental Well-Being at Age 3
By:
Early Childhood
Jun 9, 2026
Mental Health Conditions Are the Dominant Underlying Cause of Maternal Death for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Mental Health Conditions Are the Dominant Underlying Cause of Maternal Death for American Indians and Alaska Natives
By:
Mental Health
May 20, 2026
Three Community Participatory Action Research Practices to Engage and Support Youth Researchers
Three Community Participatory Action Research Practices to Engage and Support Youth Researchers
By:
Hispanic Children & Families
May 13, 2026
students walk past a sign for the school's financial aid office.
Public Benefits and Financial Aid Support Education Beyond High School and Long-Term Economic Well-Being for Low-Income Young Adults
By:
Poverty & Economic Well-being
Apr 30, 2026
a close-up of a mother and daughter holding hands
Parental Drug Use Remains a Top Reason for Foster Care Entries
By:
Child Welfare
Apr 29, 2026
a young woman works with her volunteer group
Case Studies to Build Facilitators’ Youth Engagement Skills
By:
Youth & Young Adults
Apr 23, 2026
More Research

Upcoming Event

18
Aug
2026
Webinar—Revolutionizing Math Engagement: Evidence-based Measures for Black and Latina/o Students
18
Aug
2026
Webinar—Revolutionizing Math Engagement: Evidence-based Measures for Black and Latina/o Students
18
Aug
2026
Webinar—Revolutionizing Math Engagement: Evidence-based Measures for Black and Latina/o Students

ECE Access Center

We are partnering with state and local leaders—and with families themselves—to co-create solutions to address systemic challenges with access to early care and education.

Explore Center
Toddler girl embracing mother in doorway as she gets home from work

Research from our partners

Wages, Benefits, and Financial Circumstances of Center-Based Infant-Toddler Educators
Wages, Benefits, and Financial Circumstances of Center-Based Infant-Toddler Educators
By:
Early Childhood
Apr 21, 2026
State Models for Financing Early Educator Wage Scales
State Models for Financing Early Educator Wage Scales
By:
Early Childhood
Apr 21, 2026
Building Supportive Systems for the ECE Workforce: Research on Compensation, Career Pathways, and Working Conditions
Building Supportive Systems for the ECE Workforce: Research on Compensation, Career Pathways, and Working Conditions
Early Childhood
Apr 21, 2026
Economic Hardship Among Home-Based Early Educators
Economic Hardship Among Home-Based Early Educators
By:
Early Childhood
Apr 17, 2026