Average length of time spent in foster care

A long time in a temporary placement

HIGHER than the national average

FOC data chart average time spent12

4th HIGHEST compared to the most populated states

FOC data chart average time spent13

HIGHER than the poorest states

FOC data chart average time spent1

3rd HIGHEST among the wealthiest states

FOC data chart average time spent15

2nd HIGHEST among New England states

FOC data chart average time spent16

INCREASING in recent years

FOC data chart average time spent17
*DCF FY20 Annual Report

Data Sources: Child Trends FFY2019 & MA DCF Annual Report FY2020
State rankings for most populated, wealthiest, and poorest (both by median income) from World Population Review

Percent of Children in Foster Care 5+ Years

A lifetime for a child…

HIGHER than the national average

FOC data chart average time spent7

8th HIGHEST compared to the most populated states

FOC data chart average time spent8

HIGHER than the poorest states

FOC data chart average time spent2

2nd HIGHEST among the wealthiest states

FOC data chart average time spent10

2nd HIGHEST among New England states

FOC data chart average time spent11

INCREASING in recent years

FOC data chart 5+ years
*DCF FY20 Annual Report does not include this metric

Data Sources: Child Trends FFY2019 & MA DCF Annual Report FY2020
State rankings for most populated, wealthiest, and poorest (both by median income) from World Population Review

Percent of Children with 4+ Foster Care Placements

Multiple placements have major negative impacts on child well-being1

MA has the worst performance of all states in comparisons on this critical measure.  Why aren’t we hearing more about this?

HIGHER than the national average

FOC data chart average time spent18

HIGHER compared to the most populated states

FOC data chart average time spent19

HIGHER than the poorest states

FOC data chart average time spent3

HIGHER than the wealthiest states

FOC-DCF-Charts-3D-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

HIGHEST among New England states

FOC-DCF-Charts-3E-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

INCREASING in recent years

*DCF FY20 annual Report does not include this metric
*DCF FY20 annual Report does not include this metric

Data Sources: Child Trends FFY2019 & MA DCF Annual Report FY2020
State rankings for most populated, wealthiest, and poorest (both by median income) from World Population Review
1 Children’s Rights

Percent of Children Placed in Group Care

Is group care appropriate for all of these children?  Are there not enough less-restrictive options or services to keep kids at home?

HIGHER than the national average

FOC-DCF-Charts-4A-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

HIGHEST compared to the most populated states

FOC-DCF-Charts-4B-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

HIGHER than the poorest states

FOC data chart group care

HIGHER than the wealthiest states

FOC-DCF-Charts-4D-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

2nd HIGHEST among New England states

FOC-DCF-Charts-4E-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

NO CHANGE in recent years

*DCF FY20 Annual Report. Sum of congregate, STARR & non-referral
*DCF FY20 Annual Report. Sum of congregate, STARR & non-referral

Data Sources: Child Trends FFY2019 & MA DCF Annual Report FY2020
State rankings for most populated, wealthiest, and poorest (both by median income) from World Population Review

Percent of Children Adopted By Relatives

Why is MA performing so poorly when DCF has been focused on kin placements?2

FAR BELOW the national average

FOC-DCF-Charts-5A-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

LOWER than the most populated states

FOC-DCF-Charts-5B-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

LOWER than the poorest states

FOC data chart average time spent4

LOWER than the wealthiest states

FOC-DCF-Charts-5D-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

LOWEST among New England states

FOC-DCF-Charts-5E-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

NO CHANGE since 2015

*DCF FY20 Annual Report does not include this metric
*DCF FY20 Annual Report does not include this metric

Length of Stay in Foster Care Before Adoption

A significant part of a child’s life without a permanent family

LONGER than the national average

FOC-DCF-Charts-6A-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

3rd LONGEST compared to the most populated states

FOC-DCF-Charts-6B-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

LONGER than the poorest states

FOC data chart average time spent5

LONGER than the wealthiest states

FOC-DCF-Charts-6D-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

LONGEST among the New England states

FOC-DCF-Charts-6E-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

INCREASING in recent years

*DCF FY20 Annual Report does not include this metric
*DCF FY20 Annual Report does not include this metric

Data Sources: Child Trends FFY2019 & MA DCF Annual Report FY2020
State rankings for most populated, wealthiest, and poorest (both by median income) from World Population Review

Percent of Youth Exiting Foster Care to Emancipation3

Aging out of care without permanence has lifelong consequences4

HIGHER than the national average

FOC-DCF-Charts-7A-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

2nd HIGHEST compared to the most populated states

FOC-DCF-Charts-7B-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

HIGHER than the poorest states

FOC data chart average time spent6

3rd HIGHEST among the wealthiest states

FOC-DCF-Charts-7D-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

2nd HIGHEST among New England states

FOC-DCF-Charts-7E-Screen-1000px-28Apr2021

Consistently HIGHER than the national average

*DCF FY20 Annual Report
*DCF FY20 Annual Report

Data Sources: Child Trends FFY2019 & MA DCF Annual Report FY2020
State rankings for most populated, wealthiest, and poorest (both by median income) from World Population Review
3 In child welfare emancipation means aging out at age 22, or before, and often after years of trauma, with no “forever” family.
4 Think of Us “Away from Home" Report