How long do foster children stay in foster care?
Foster care is a temporary arrangement for children. The amount of time a child spends in foster care depends on the particular child and his/her parents—and it is hard to predict. The law requires, in most circumstances, that every effort be made to reunite children with their parents as soon as it appears safe for the child. If the child can not be reunited safely within a certain period of time, the law requires that another permanent home be found for the child. Most children do return home within the first 30 days of foster care. If a child can not safely return home that quickly it often takes from 6 to 18 months to resolve the safety issues or locate another permanent home. A small number of children are in foster care more than two years. An even smaller number remain in foster care until age 18.
TOP Foster care is a temporary arrangement for children while their parents are rectifying the situation that brought the child into care. The amount of time a child spends in foster care varies by each case. The law requires, in most circumstances, that every effort be made to reunite children with their parents as soon as it is safe for the child. If the child cannot be reunited safely within a certain period of time (12-15 months), the law requires that another permanent home be found for the child.
