The Adoption Cliff: Foster Care Adoptions Hit Lowest Level Since 1999

The AFCARS FY 2024 data reveals a troubling milestone: adoptions from foster care have fallen to 46,935 — the lowest number since 1999 and a decrease of over 26% from the 2019 peak. This is not a one-year anomaly; it is the continuation of a multi-year downward trend that demands urgent attention.

The Numbers

At the end of FY 2024, 70,418 children were waiting for adoption. Of those, 49% had already had their parental rights terminated. Yet 34,817 children remained in foster care despite being both legally free for adoption and having adoption as their primary permanency plan.

The age breakdown of children waiting is sobering:

• 3% were under one year old
• 38% were aged 1–5
• 26% were aged 6–10
• 29% were aged 11–16
• 3% were aged 17

What's Driving the Decline?

Multiple factors contribute:

• Fewer children entering care means a smaller pool, but the adoption decline outpaces the entry decline
• Court delays in terminating parental rights, exacerbated by the pandemic backlog
• Recruitment challenges for adoptive families, especially for older youth and sibling groups
• Workforce shortages in child welfare agencies slow case processing

Texas in Context

In Texas, DFPS reported 3,178 adoptions from foster care in FY 2024 — below its target of 3,902. The shortfall mirrors the national pattern and highlights the gap between policy goals and on-the-ground capacity.

The Human Cost

Every year a child waits for adoption increases the likelihood of aging out. Children who age out face dramatically worse outcomes across every measure — employment, housing, education, and justice involvement. The adoption decline is not an abstract policy failure; it is a direct pipeline to the aging-out crisis.

Sources: AFCARS FY 2024, National Council for Adoption, DFPS Sunset Self-Evaluation Report 2025