Too many abused and neglected kids get needlessly trapped in a broken foster care system. More than half the children who enter foster care enter because of crimes committed against them, such as abuse and neglect. Almost 2,000 infants and young children die annually from abuse and neglect by parents and caregivers. Two-thirds of the children in foster care are reunited with families that are often still unsafe, resulting in many eventually being returned to foster care. The length of time spent in foster care has increased significantly.
Many children remain, on average, four to six years without permanent homes.
The percentage of children experiencing more than one foster home placement increased from 43 percent in 1982 to 57 percent in 1990.