Foster care is meant to provide a temporary safe place for children who cannot live with their family due to abuse, neglect, or a family crisis. In New York in 2009, there were 24,605 children in foster care, with 55% being discharged and 45% remaining in the system. Children in foster care often experience instability, being moved to new homes or facilities an average of 2-8 times per year, and may face abuse, running away from their placements, and separation from siblings. While foster care aims to reunite children with their families or find permanent placements, the realities are that many children spend prolonged periods in the system or return to it repeatedly.
12. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb
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