National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, No. 1: Who Are the Children in Foster Care? Research Brief: Findings from the NSCAW Study

Over 530,000 children are in foster care in the United States. These children live in a variety of settings, including non-relative foster homes, the homes of relatives, and group homes. This research brief offers a national portrait of children who had been in foster care for one year. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) is unique in providing not only information on the demographic characteristics of these children and information on their maltreatment and placement experiences, but also carefully gathered data on their well-being. This report ascertains: (1) the characteristics of children in foster care for one year; (2) the experiences of abuse or neglect that have brought these children into the child welfare system; (3) where these children reside; and (4) how children in foster for one year are faring in terms of health and cognitive and social development. The findings indicate that children who have been in foster care for one year vary in age and race. They are most likely to have experienced some form of neglect as their most serious maltreatment, and a significant number had experienced multiple types of maltreatment. Most of these children are residing in non-kin foster care settings. The multiple difficulties experienced by children in foster care suggest that these children require substantial resources that are likely to go beyond the service capacity of most child welfare agencies. This is the first in a series of NSCAW research briefs, developed by Caliber Associates from the Baseline Report, focused on children in foster care who come into contact with the Child Protective System. (Contains 7 figures and 1 note.)