Louisiana Has 0.48 Certified Foster Homes for Every Child in Care. The Parish Map Shows Where.
4,487 children, 2,133 homes. In 54 of 64 parishes, fewer homes than children, and the biggest gaps are in Lafayette, Ouachita, East Baton Rouge and Caddo.
Tone: Hard data.Data StoriesLouisiana
The number
0.48
certified foster homes per child in Louisiana foster care, Sep 28, 2026
Source: DCFS · Foster Home to Child Ratio in Louisiana (weekly), as of Sep 28, 2026 · Linked from DCFS’s “A Home for Every Child” page.
Louisiana does something most states don't: every week, DCFS publishes how many children are in foster care in each parish, and how many certified foster homes that parish has.
On September 28, 2026, the statewide count was 4,487 children and 2,133 certified foster homes, a ratio of 0.48. DCFS's stated goal is 1:1, a home for every child.
The parish pattern
In 54 of 64 parishes, there were fewer certified homes than children in care. The largest gaps in raw numbers:
- East Baton Rouge: 367 children, 147 homes
- Ouachita: 349 children, 123 homes
- Lafayette: 347 children, 115 homes
- Rapides: 315 children, 135 homes
- Caddo: 305 children, 101 homes
- Calcasieu: 244 children, 96 homes
- Terrebonne: 204 children, 63 homes
Children in foster care vs. certified foster homes, largest parish gaps (Sep 28, 2026)
- Lafayette232
- Ouachita226
- East Baton Rouge220
- Caddo204
- Rapides180
- Calcasieu148
- Terrebonne141
- Jefferson103
A few parishes have more homes than children. Bossier, next door to Caddo, has 78 homes for 34 children. St. Charles has 18 homes for 7. Children often cross parish lines for placements, which is part of why the ratio works as a signal of pressure, not a precise count of missing beds.
What a ratio can and can't tell you
One foster home can care for more than one child, especially brothers and sisters. And some children are best served in placements other than family foster homes. So 0.48 doesn't mean half of Louisiana's foster children lack a bed. It does mean that when a child needs a home in their own parish, near their school, their siblings, and the parents they may return to, there often isn't one.
Find your parish
Every parish is on the Louisiana explorer. If your parish is short of homes, that's the most local reason there is to take the first step.
Official sources
- DCFS · Foster Home to Child Ratio in Louisiana (weekly), as of Sep 28, 2026Linked from DCFS’s “A Home for Every Child” page.
Published September 29, 2026. Drafted with AI assistance from the official reports above; every figure links to its source. Spot an error? Tell us.
Share on Instagram
5-slide carousel · 1080 × 1350
Download the slides, post them as one carousel, and put the link in your bio. Every slide carries its source.
Slide 1 · Download
Slide 2 · Download
Slide 3 · Download
Slide 4 · Download
Slide 5 · Download
Suggested caption
0.48: certified foster homes per child in Louisiana foster care, Sep 28, 2026. 4,487 children, 2,133 homes. In 54 of 64 parishes, fewer homes than children, and the biggest gaps are in Lafayette, Ouachita, East Baton Rouge and Caddo. Link in bio · Source: DCFS · Foster Home to Child Ratio in Louisiana (weekly), as of Sep 28, 2026 #FosterCare #FosterHomesNeeded #Hyperlocal #Capacity
Keep reading
Tone: Hard data.Data StoriesTexas
Texas Removed 10,011 Children in FY 2025. The County Pattern Matters.
Removals rose for the first time in three years. Four urban counties account for more than a third, and the rates tell a different story than the counts.
Tone: Hopeful.InspirationLouisiana
Louisiana Doubled the Foster Homes It Certifies Each Year: 550 to 1,122
In four years, the number of newly certified foster homes more than doubled. The need is still bigger, but the trend is real.
Tone: Hopeful.Take ActionLouisiana
How to Start Fostering in Louisiana: The First Step Takes Minutes
DCFS's “A Home for Every Child” campaign starts with a short registration form. Here's the path, from the official source.