For most children, home is where safety, routine, and belonging begin. For children impacted by foster care, that sense of home is often interrupted suddenly—and through no fault of their own.
Foster care is not entered lightly. It exists to protect children when the adults responsible for their care are unable to provide a safe environment. Understanding why children enter foster care, and what happens after, helps us better understand the depth of their journey—and why community support matters so much.
Why Children Enter Foster Care
Children typically enter foster care during moments of crisis. The most common reason is neglect, followed by abuse and abandonment. According to national child welfare data, neglect accounts for the majority of foster care entries, often tied to situations where basic needs such as food, housing, supervision, or medical care are not being met.
In many cases, parents are facing serious challenges that prevent them from safely caring for their children. These may include substance misuse, incarceration, severe mental or physical illness, or death. When no relatives or kin are able to step in to provide care, the child enters foster care to ensure their immediate safety.
These removals are meant to protect—but they are also traumatic. Children often leave their homes quickly, sometimes with nothing more than the clothes they are wearing, unsure of where they are going or when they will see their family again.
How Many Children Are Impacted?
The foster care system serves a large and often unseen population.
Across the United States, there are approximately 329,000 children and youth in foster care on any given day, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ most recent AFCARS report. These children range from infants to young adults preparing to transition out of care.
Here in Georgia, the need is especially significant. The state currently serves more than 11,000 children in foster care, placing Georgia among the states with the highest foster care populations. These are children living with foster families, relatives, or in group care while waiting for reunification, adoption, or another permanent plan.
Behind every number is a child navigating loss, change, and uncertainty—often all at once.
Life in Foster Care
Once in care, a child’s experience can vary widely. Some find stability quickly. Others move multiple times, changing homes, schools, and caregivers along the way. Court hearings, case plans, and supervised visits become part of their routine.
While the goal of foster care is always permanency—reunification with family or adoption—not every child achieves that outcome. Older youth, in particular, are far less likely to be adopted, which means their journey often takes a different turn.
Aging Out of the System
When a young person “ages out” of foster care—typically between ages 18 and 21—they transition into adulthood without the family safety net most young adults rely on.
National studies show that youth who age out face increased risks of housing instability, unemployment, and limited access to education. Fewer than 3% earn a college degree, and a significant percentage experience homelessness by their mid-20s. These outcomes are not due to lack of potential—but lack of consistent support.
Why This Journey Matters
Understanding the foster care journey reminds us that children impacted by foster care are not defined by their circumstances. They are resilient, capable, and full of possibility—but they need support that extends beyond emergency placement.
At Because One Matters, we believe that safety is only the first step. Stability, dignity, life skills, and community connection are what help change outcomes. When children and young adults are surrounded by people who show up—consistently and intentionally—their story doesn’t end at foster care or aging out.
It continues forward.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – AFCARS Reports
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Georgia Division of Family & Children Services
Chronicle of Social Change / Foster Care Statistics (CAFO)
