Each year thousands of Missouri's children are placed outside their homes. Many of these children have been abused and neglected. In addition, others have serious emotional disturbances or are status and criminal offenders. Placement of children outside their homes usually occurs by order of a juvenile court.
Court officials place children under the care of a variety of agencies both public and private.
These agencies, in turn, place the children in a variety of settings including foster homes, residential centers, group homes, and psychiatric hospital facilities. Another 23 percent of the placements were made by the Division of Youth Services. The remaining 30 percent of the placements were divided among other public and private agencies, court residential care, and placement with a relative. Child abuse and neglect accounted for only 17 percent of all referrals to Missouri juvenile courts, but for 53 percent of the 1991 placements. This category encompasses a wide range of referrals.