California Foster Care Data
FY2022 · ACF AFCARS Report · 52,847 children in care
53.2%
Reunification Rate
#15 nationally
20.8%
Adoption Rate
#50 nationally
6.2%
Aging Out Rate
22.4 mo
Median Length of Stay
6.2
Per 1,000 Children
How California Compares to the National Average
California earned a B grade for FY2022, driven by a 53.2% reunification rate that sits modestly 2.7 points above the national average (#15 of 51 states). Its adoption rate of 20.8% is modestly 4.8 points below the national figure.
States Ranked Near California
The closest peers to California's #15 reunification-rate rank.
Performance Metrics
Placement Types
Child Maltreatment, NCANDS 2022
Source: HHS National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System HHS National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System
304,280
Reports
58,246
Victims
6.8
Per 1,000 children
California children returned to a parent or primary caregiver
Children exiting foster care via adoption in California
Youth exiting foster care at age 18+ without permanency
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children are in foster care in California?
52,847 children as of FY2022 -- a per-capita rate of 6.2 per 1,000 children.
What is California's foster care grade?
A B, reflecting a #15-of-51 national rank on reunification (53.2%).
What is the adoption rate in California?
California adopts out 20.8% of exits -- #50 of 51 nationally.
How does California compare to other states on aging out?
6.2% of youth age out without permanency -- 1.4 points below the national rate.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainFoster is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.