AFCARS FY 2024: Foster Care Numbers Drop for Sixth Consecutive Year
The latest AFCARS data shows 328,947 children in foster care nationally — the sixth straight annual decline. But adoptions from care have hit their lowest level since 1999, and 15,379 youth aged out without a permanent family.
328,947
Children in Foster Care
Total children in care on September 30, 2024 — a six-year decline
70,418
Waiting for Adoption
Children with an adoption goal at end of FY 2024
46,935
Adopted from Care
Lowest since 1999 — down 26% from 2019
15,379
Aged Out
Youth who exited care by emancipation in FY 2024
176,730
Total Exits
Fewest exits since AFCARS reporting began
64,121
2+ Years in Care
30% of exiting children spent over two years in foster care
The Administration for Children and Families released the AFCARS FY 2024 dataset covering October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. The headline: for the sixth consecutive year, the number of children in the U.S. foster care system continued to decline, reaching 328,947 — down from 368,530 in FY 2020.
Fewer Children in Care, But Alarming Adoption Decline
While falling caseloads are welcome, the story beneath the surface is more complicated. Adoptions from foster care dropped to 46,935 — a 6% decrease from the prior year and over 26% below the 2019 level. This marks the lowest number of foster care adoptions since 1999. Meanwhile, 34,817 children remained in care despite being legally free for adoption with an adoption permanency plan.
Who Is Waiting?
At the end of FY 2024, 70,418 children were waiting for adoption. The age breakdown reveals the challenge:
- 38% were aged 1–5
- 26% were aged 6–10
- 29% were aged 11–16
- Only 3% were under one year old
Forty-nine percent had their parental rights terminated as of the last day of the fiscal year.
Exits and Time in Care
Total exits from foster care reached 176,730 — the fewest since AFCARS reporting began. Of those exits, 45% were reunifications, 27% adoptions, and 11% guardianship. Critically, 30% of children who exited spent more than two years in foster care, amounting to 64,121 children. Roughly 35,000 of those spent three or more years in care.
Aging Out Remains Unchanged
Despite decades of policy attention, 15,379 youth aged out of foster care in FY 2024 — 9% of all exits. Research consistently shows that aging out produces the worst long-term outcomes of any exit type, from homelessness to incarceration to chronic poverty.
Data Gaps Persist
For the second consecutive year, AFCARS data was incomplete, with Washington and Wyoming not reporting. The Children's Bureau has shifted to an interactive dashboard format, which improves accessibility but complicates year-over-year comparisons for researchers.
Sources: National Council for Adoption, ACF Children's Bureau, CAFO Foster Care Statistics 2025