One-quarter are in foster care for 4.3 or more years. Those tagged for adoption spend, on average, four to six years in the system. Those brought into the foster-care system today tend to stay longer than they would have in the past. One important factor is age. They are entering care in greater numbers than other groups, and tend to remain in foster care longer.
Recidivism is also rampant.
One-third of foster children returned to their families end up back in public care. In many cases, family reunification is impossible. Furthermore, adoption is uncommon, and when it occurs, it is slow. For example, in 1996, the overall adoption rate in California, the state with the largest foster care population, was just four percent. The median time from entry in the system to adoption is nearly three years.