Child Welfare

  • Entries to and Exits from Out-of-Home Care

    Numbers of children and youth entering and exiting out-of-home placement is another driver indicator for number of children and youth in out-of-home care. The number of children and youth entering out-of-home care has been declining since 2017. In SFY 2023, 3,302 children and youth entered out-of-home care, while 4,022 exited.

    Children Entering and Exiting Out of Home Placement, SFY 2010-2023
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  • Out-of-Home Care Length of Stay

    DCYF strives to return children and youth home as soon as safely possible, and when this is not possible – to place them in an alternate permanent home.  The agency monitors the median length of stay for children in out-of-home care as a driver indicator for the number of children and youth in out-of-home care.  In state fiscal year 2021, the most recent year that can be reported, the median length of stay was 534 days, an increase of 68 days from the previous year.

    Median Length of Stay (in Days) in Out-of-Home Care, SFY 2010-2021
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  • Youth School Engagement

    The second DCYF education outcome goal is that youth are engaged in school. Youth who feel more connected or committed to school are more likely to achieve positive academic outcomes and are less likely to experience mental health issues.

    Engagement in school can be measured by the Healthy Youth Survey’s index of engagement in school, which captures information on decision-making opportunities at school, one-on-one opportunities with teachers, opportunities to work on special projects, extracurricular opportunities, and feeling a part of class activities or discussions. 2021 Healthy Youth Survey results show that 70.4% of 10th graders living with parents/guardians report a high level of engagement at school, compared to 61.7% of students who do not live with parents/guardians.

    10th Graders with High Levels of School Engagement, by Living Situation, 2021
      Entries and exits