The following statistics are provided by the California Department of Social Services Reporting System. Most of the data is based on information collected up to December, 2001.

• Approximately 102,000 children are in foster care in California. Almost one third of foster children are under 6 years old. Over half the children in foster care are under 11 years old.
  

• Almost half of the children in foster care have siblings who are also in foster care.

• 31% of children in foster care are White, while a majority (69%) are of minority backgrounds. Of these 32% of all children are Black, 33% are Hispanic, 1% are American Indian and 3% are Asian/Pacific Islander.
  

• In the decade between 1983 and 1993, the number of children in foster care increased 154% in California.

4 Year Outcomes of Children Entering Foster Care in 1992

• 55% were reunified, 7% were adopted 3% became legal guardians of the caregiver, 3% emancipated 7% had other outcomes and 25% remained in care.

Post Foster Care Outcomes

• Studies show that few emancipated foster youth had entered college and more than a third had not completed high school. Approximately a quarter of emancipated foster youth have lived on the streets or shelters at some point.

• Around half of emancipated foster youth were not employed. Nearly half had problems getting medical care most of the time.

• Over 40% of emancipated foster youth had been pregnant or fathered a child.

• As of May 2001 there are approximately 56, 603 children in foster care in Los Angeles County.