As of 2008, there were 31,058 children in foster care in the state of Texas.

(Texas Department of Family and Protective Services – DFPS)

Of those numbers, there are approximately 6,000 children in Region 3 (North Texas)

In FY 2007, the average number of children removed per month was 1,327. For fiscal year 2008, the average was 1,191 per month.

In 2008, what were the confirmed allegations of neglect in the state of Texas?
14,858 because of physical abuse
6,468 because of sexual abuse
743 because of emotional abuse
241 because of abandonment
2,235 because of medical neglect
7,714 because of physical neglect
50,310 because of neglectful supervision
636 because of refusal to accept parental responsibility

How many fatalities were there, in Texas, due to neglect or abuse?
Under 1 year old – 82
1-3 years old – 87
4-6 years old – 14
7-9 years old – 10
10-17 years old – 20

How many children were removed from their families through DFPS?
14,295 in 2008 (down from 15,920 in 2007)

Who are Texas children waiting in the foster care system?
3,623 (21.1%) of foster children are between ages of 0 and 2
2,497 (14.5%) of foster children are between ages of 3 and 5
3,068 (17.9%) of foster children are between ages of 6 and 9
3,090 (18.0%) of foster children are between ages of 10 and 13
4,395 (25.6%) of foster children are between ages of 14 and 17
513 (3.0%) of foster children are between ages of 18 and 21

Who are the most common confirmed perpetrators of abuse or neglect?
Relationship: Parent (78.7%)
Gender: Female (58.0%)
Age: Age 26-35 (37.1%)
Marital Status: Married (30.1%)

What are the most common characteristics of confirmed victims?
Age: Age 1 to 3 (24.1%)
Gender: Female (51.3%)

How long do children remain in DFPS care on average?
Those ending in family reunification – 13.5 months
Those ending in relative care – 14.1 months
Those ending in adoption – 29.5 months
Those ending in long term care (Emancipation) – 61.5 months
Those ending in long term care (Other) – 13.5 months

Average number of placements per child: 3.2

6,375 children are waiting to be adopted

Where are the children who remain under the care of the DFPS?
Of the 27,232 children in DFPS substitute care on August 31, 2008…
11,809 children were placed in a Child Placing Agency (CPA) Foster Home
2,185 children were placed in DFPS Foster Homes
803 children were placed in Basic Child Care (cottage/campus type housing)
1,335 children were placed in Residential Treatment Centers
558 children were placed in Emergency Shelters (intended for 30 days or less)
496 children were placed in other types of foster care (camps, maternity homes, hospitals, juvenile detention, etc.)
8,490 children were placed in Kinship Care (relative)
807 children were placed in pending adoption homes
749 children were placed in other substitute care

What happened to the children who left DFPS Care in 2008?
Family Reunification – 5,991 (36.8%)
Custody Given To Relatives – 3,559 (21.9%)
Adoption Consummated – 4,517 (27.8%)
Children Emancipated – 1,468 (9.0%)
Other – 740 (4.5%)

There is no doubt in my mind that foster care and adoption is far more than just “rent-a-kid.“

What do these stats say to you? What are you shocked/astonished by? Do they inspire ideas/actions/reactions in you?

This information is from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services 2008 annual report.