ANNUAL REPORT ON FOSTER CARE
An Update on the Status of Vulnerable Children and
Families in Metropolitan Washington
2016 Edition

 ANNUAL REPORT ON FOSTER CARE

Prepared by the COG Data Work Group and Child Welfare Directors Committee
ABOUT COG

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) is an independent, nonprofit
association that brings area leaders together to address major regional issues in the District of
Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia. COG’s membership is comprised of 300
elected officials from 24 local governments, the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, and U.S.
Congress.
CREDITS

Report Editor: Surina Amin, COG Child Welfare Program Manager
Cover Photo Credit: Phyllis McKeiver is named District of Columbia Foster Parent of the Year (COG)
ACCOMMODATIONS POLICY

Alternative formats of this document are available upon request. Visit
www.mwcog.org/accommodations or call (202) 962-3300 or (202) 962-3213 (TDD).
TITLE VI NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) fully complies with Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations prohibiting discrimination in all programs
and activities. For more information, to file a Title VI related complaint, or to obtain information in
another language, visit www.mwcog.org/nondiscrimination or call (202) 962-3300.
El Consejo de Gobiernos del Área Metropolitana de Washington (COG) cumple con el Título VI de la
Ley sobre los Derechos Civiles de 1964 y otras leyes y reglamentos en todos sus programas y
actividades. Para obtener más información, someter un pleito relacionado al Título VI, u obtener
información en otro idioma, visite www.mwcog.org/nondiscrimination o llame al (202) 962-3300.

Copyright © 2017 by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1

RESPONDING TO REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

2

PRESERVING FAMILIES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES

3

PLACING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

5

DEMOGRAPHICS OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

6

RECRUITING HOMES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

8

TRANSITIONING YOUTH OUT OF FOSTER CARE

11

PREPARING YOUTH WHO WILL EXIT OUT OF FOSTER CARE

13

CONCLUSION

15

 TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1. Children in Foster Care on December 31, 2016

5

Table 2. Children in Foster Care by Age (December 31, 2016)

7

Table 3. Placement Type on December 31, 2016

13

Figure 1: Children in Foster Care by Race

10

Figure 2. Exits from Foster Care, 2016

11

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Each year the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) surveys child welfare systems
in the region. The purpose of the annual survey and resulting report is to educate the media, the
public, and other important stakeholders, about recent trends occurring in the region’s foster care
systems.
The data for this report is collected by the COG Child Welfare Data Workgroup, comprised of quality
assurance representatives from COG’s member jurisdictions.
The members of COG that participated in this regional survey and report are the District of Columbia,
Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George's and Charles Counties in Maryland, and Arlington, Fairfax,
Loudoun, and Prince William Counties, and the City of Alexandria in Virginia. Foster care data, when
available, is also presented on the following independent cities: Bowie, College Park, Gaithersburg,
Greenbelt, and Takoma Park in Maryland, and the Cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and
Manassas Park in Virginia.
This report is intended to serve as an educational tool for those who may be unfamiliar with the
foster care system and an update for those who are. It is COG’s hope that readers of this report
become more involved in the foster care system as advocates for vulnerable children and families in
area communities.
2016 regional survey highlights:
 The region received 68,032 calls alleging child maltreatment. Of those calls, 11,048 were
investigated, and 11,799 were accepted for an alternative or differential response.
 Over 1,300 families are receiving family preservation services which aid in diverting thousands of
children from entering the foster care system.
 The number of children in foster care has declined by 45 percent over the past eight years.
 56 percent of children in foster care are 11 years old and above.
 Most children in care (67 percent) have been in the system for three years or less.
 Public agencies had 943 licensed foster homes on December 31, 2016 to care for the 2,549
children in the system overall.
 Last year, just as many youth aged-out of foster care (243), then were adopted (244).
 The 2017 COG report, Homelessness in Metropolitan Washington, counted 375 single Transition
Age Youth and 1,064 persons in Transition Age Youth families (including children under the age of
18) on January 25, 2017. Of this total, 72 youth between the ages of 18 and 24 reported having a
history of involvement with the foster care system.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 1

 RESPONDING TO REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE
AND NEGLECT
Child abuse and neglect are defined by federal and state laws. Federal laws are outlined by the Child
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) which defines child abuse and neglect as: “Any recent
act or failure to act on the part of a parent or care
taker, which results in death, serious physical or
emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or
an act or failure to act which presents an imminent
risk or serious harm.”1 All states have statutory
requirements that define child abuse and neglect.
Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia
have laws that designate specific professions as
Mandated Reporters who are required, by law, to
report suspected child abuse and/or neglect.
Mandated Reporters include but are not limited to:
health care professionals, educators, human
service workers and police officers.
Child Protective Services (CPS) hotline workers
receive calls alleging child abuse and neglect and
must make a determination based on the information received if the report meets their state’s
statutory criteria for further investigation. Data on the total number of calls received in 2016
indicates that collectively, CPS hotline workers across the region received 68,032 calls alleging child
maltreatment. Of those calls, 11,048 were investigated and 11,799 were accepted for an alternative
or differential response.
(Marcel Dekker Devos/Flickr)

Differential response, also known as dual tract or alternative response, allows CPS to recognize the
variation in the types of child abuse and neglect allegations received and utilize more than one
method to respond to those allegations. The practice of differential response is typically employed
with low and moderate risk cases. Best practices show that collaborative partnering with families
increases engagement and the utilization of services. This leads to an assessment of the needs of
the family and services that seek to strengthen and preserve families.
The types of cases that warrant an investigation, rather than differential response, pose imminent
danger to the child, such as: sexual abuse, physical abuse, and severe neglect. In the course of an
investigation, a CPS social worker determines whether the safety risk is high enough to remove a
child from their birth home through extensive interviews. Within hours of a removal, allegations of
child abuse and neglect are brought before a family court judge. When a judgment is made in the
case, the abuse or neglect charges are substantiated or unsubstantiated. There are also instances
where the judge rules that the child be returned home or with relatives while the family receives
supportive services. Whenever agencies are able to safely do so, community-based intervention
services are put in place, and children remain in their homes while services are administered. When
low-risk cases come to the attention of social services, there are many benefits to sustaining a family
connection. Most importantly the emotional and psychological trauma of removing a child from their
birth home is avoided.
1

CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-320), § 5101, Note (§ 3)

Annual Report on Foster Care I 2

 PRESERVING FAMILIES WITHIN
THEIR COMMUNITIES
The U.S. Health and Human Services Administration’s definition of family preservation states that
“(preservation) services are short-term, family-based services designed to assist families in crisis by
improving parenting and family functioning while keeping children safe (and in the birth home).”2
Family preservation services in the region vary by county. Most agencies in the region, utilize a
family-centered practice “as way of working with families, both formally and informally, across
service systems to enhance their capacity to care for and protect their children.”3 By embracing this
approach, families in crisis may receive: shelter care, food assistance, transportation vouchers, day
care vouchers, mental health assessments, mental health therapy, substance use assessment, work
force training, and parenting classes as a means to preserve the child in the home. These services
may be directly provided by public child welfare agencies, but are more often provided by private
agencies. In metropolitan Washington during 2016, over 1,300 families were engaged in family
preservation services.
Many states across the nation, including Maryland and Virginia, are using the Center for the Study of
Social Policy’s Strengthening Families – Protective Factors Framework which is based on five
protective factors of 1) parental resilience 2) social connections 3) knowledge of parenting and child
development 4) concrete support in times of need and 5) social and emotional competence of
children. This approach is designed to “increase family strengths, enhance child development, and
reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.”4
In addition to family preservation, the technique of diversion is another program employed by
agencies to keep children within their own extended family members’ homes. Diversion cases
typically involve a larger degree of intervention or placement arrangement is secured, usually with a
relative or fictive kin, such as godparents. Often family involvement or partnership meetings (FIM or
FPM) are the conduit for conversations with extended kin that result in diversion. Diversion
techniques often lead to referrals to in-home services to provide support to families while keeping
children safe in the home. Preservation and diversion services have been critical to reducing the
number of children entering the foster care system.

2

US department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children and Families, Child Welfare Information Gateway website:

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/supporting/preservation/
3

Child Welfare Information Gateway, https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/famcentered/

4

Center for the Study of Social Policy, http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengtheningfamilies/about

Annual Report on Foster Care I 3

 Diversion Success Story – District of Columbia
The Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) provided intensive family preservation
services to a family that consisted of a mother and her two sons. The family had multiple
reports of abuse and neglect over a number of years, including a past removal of the
children, and had come to the attention of the Agency due to her significant mental health
problems and drug use. She also faced criminal charges for prior arrests. Her children,
ages 17 and 11, had significant absences from school, and were being affected by their
mother's ongoing substance abuse and untreated mental health issues. Despite the
ongoing neglect, they were terrified about being removed from their mother again.
By partnering with the mother around her primary goal, ensuring that her children did not
enter foster care again, as well as the reengagement of estranged family supports, the
mother was willing to allow her mother to temporarily care for her children so that she
could turn herself in, serve her 30-day sentence, and participate in an inpatient substance
abuse program. The maternal grandmother left her home in Maryland to temporarily move
into her daughter's home and care for the boys, ensuring that they had proper supervision,
were going to school, and that their needs were met. Though the agency considered
removal at various times, the social work team understood that the trauma of entering
foster care again would be detrimental to these children, and they recognized that
although progress was sometimes slow, the mother was able to make progress.
Ultimately, in partnership with the agency’s partners in Probation and Parole, the social
work team assisted the mother in addressing her mental health and substance abuse
issues. She began to better attend to her sons' needs and began to provide stability. She
engaged in Project Connect, a District service that works with high-risk families who are
affected by parental substance abuse and are involved in the child welfare system. The
program offers home-based counseling, substance abuse monitoring, nursing, and
referrals for other services. The program also offers home-based parent education,
parenting groups, and an ongoing support group for mothers in recovery. The children are
now attending school, are being properly supervised, and the family remains intact.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 4

 PLACING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
Children enter the foster care system when a child welfare system determines that the risk is too
high to leave a child at home or in the care of relatives, and the court agrees with that decision.
When a child is placed into foster care, it causes a significant amount of trauma and emotional
distress.
Regionally, agencies have continued to focus on a trauma-informed system of care that recognizes
the gravity of the loss a child endures and equips caregivers, social workers, and staff at all levels to
effectively support children as they move through the system. Agencies have increased traumainformed training for both foster parents and child welfare staff. Due to these methods, the region
has seen a significant decrease in out-of-home placements. Fortunately, in the region, fewer children
have entered care in the past several years due to aggressive and effective use of family
preservation, prevention, and diversion programs. This is the case in the District of Columbia where
numbers have fallen below 1,000 youth in out-of-home placements.
Table 1. Children in Foster Care on December 31, 2016*
Jurisdictions
2008
District of Columbia
2264
Frederick County
140
Montgomery County
575
Prince George's County 608
Charles County
106
City of Alexandria
181
Arlington County
147
Fairfax County
394
Loudoun County
87
Prince William County
99
Total
4601

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016
2103 2007 1744 1430 1215 1068 945
94
175 157 142 148 128 108
546 516 498 433 385 375 395
599 592 595 593 515 462 469
78
113 110 105
95
105
81
86
167 126 126
97
85
87
133 115 101
87
93
82
93
370 337 326 289 252 246 241
97
83
64
51
59
66
51
91
110 115 126 124 103
96
4394 4153 3816 3349 2961 2678 2549

*Data captured reflects a point-in-time, not jurisdiction’s average monthly caseload.
Source: COG

Nationally, according to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), the
most recent data indicates that 428,000 children are in the foster care system, which is an increase
from previous years.5 However, the number of children in foster care in the region has declined by
forty-six percent over the past 8 years. On December 31, 2016, there were 2,549 children in foster
care compared to 4,601 children in 2008. The number of children entering the system has also
declined. In 2016, 1,063 children entered foster care as compared to 1,468 entries in 2008. Most
children in care (67 percent) have been in the system for three years or less.

5

Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS),

Annual Report on Foster Care I 5

 DEMOGRAPHICS OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
In terms of demographics, 64 percent of the population in foster care on December 31, 2016 were
older African American children. In the 2017 State of the Region: Human Capital Report by COG,
race and ethnicity was evaluated using data from the Census Bureau; it estimates that the racial
distribution of metropolitan Washington’s population in 2015 was 57 percent Caucasian, 28 percent
Black or African American, 11 percent Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, 1 percent American
Indian, and 16 percent Hispanic. This data reflects the disproportionate representation of African
American youth in foster care across the region.
According to the Children’s Bureau, “disproportionality is the underrepresentation or
overrepresentation of a racial or ethnic group compared to its percentage in the total population.”6
National trends show that racial disparities occur at various decision points in the child welfare
continuum. Fairfax County has been working diligently to address the issue of disproportionality
within child welfare. They have implemented a two-day mandatory staff training which discusses
issues around institutionalized racism, equity vs. equality, and cultural competency. Fairfax County
also has a designated team—the Disproportionality and Disparity Prevention and Elimination Team
(DDPET)—which focuses specifically on reducing the disproportionate presence of African American
children and youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, eliminating the achievement
gap, and reducing health disparities for these same population subgroups.
Figure 1: Children in Foster Care by Race
70%

64%
57%

60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%

28%
12%

15%16%

11%
2%

0%

Percentage in Foster Care

0% 1%

4% 3%

3%

0%

Regional Population

Source: COG
6

Racial Disproportionality and Disparity in Child Welfare, https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/racial_disproportionality.pdf

Annual Report on Foster Care I 6

 Table 2. Children in Foster Care, by Age (December 31, 2016)*
Jurisdiction
District of Columbia
Frederick County
Montgomery County
Prince George's County
Charles County
City of Alexandria
Arlington County
Fairfax County
Loudoun County
Prince William County

<1
42
7
19
13
3
5

1-5
220
22
104
60
23
24

6 - 10
195
18
72
51
12
13

11 - 15
186
21
59
96
20
24

16 -21
302
26
141
249
20
20

5
10
0
5

22
47
9
16

16
63
8
12

16
43
11
20

34
78
23
44

Total
Region Percentage

109
4%

547
21%

460
18%

496
19%

937
37%

Total
945
94
395
469
78
86
93
241
51
97
2549
100%

*Data captured reflects a point-in-time.
Source: COG

Agencies in the region strive to recruit culturally competent foster parents, now commonly referred to
as resource parents. Agencies are also focusing training efforts on cultural competency for resource
parents and staff on transracial and transcultural placements. A larger effort is also being made
across the region to recruit more Spanish speaking families to address the cultural needs of
Hispanic youth in the foster care system.
Older teens continue to represent the majority population of children in the foster care system.
Recruiting families for older teens continues to be a regional challenge. Agencies seek to recruit
resource parents who are willing to accept older children. 56 percent of children in foster care are 11
years old and above. Agencies in the region also focus their recruitment efforts on attracting local
parents who are interested in other “hard-to-place” children that are prevalent in the foster care
system, such as large sibling groups, children with behavioral challenges, children with emotional
needs and children with special medical needs. Typically, children who enter the foster care system
at an older age are at greater risk of aging out of the foster care system without any permanent
connections.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 7

 RECRUITING RESOURCE HOMES THAT MEET THE
SPECIAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
Harnessing creative recruitment strategies,
collectively, agencies had 943 licensed resource
homes on December 31, 2016. The number of
homes has decreased 44.5 percent since 2014.
Local agencies report that several homes have
closed due to adoptions. Agencies have also
worked to close out homes who have been
inactive for extended periods of time. Additionally,
agencies have implemented stringent criteria for
resource families in attempts to work with
families who are willing and able to meet the
Adoption and Foster Care Expo (Margo Devine)
specific needs of children who are currently in the
foster care system. In Maryland, agencies are using the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE)
home study model to effectively and systematically evaluate prospective families for foster
placements. Along with increased trauma-informed training standards, these systems help to recruit
resource families that are best able to meet the needs of the youth in their care.
In child welfare, the term “special needs” does not necessarily mean a child with medical or physical
disabilities. Rather, it is used by states to refer to children for whom it is more difficult to recruit
permanent families including older children, sibling groups, children from specific ethnic
backgrounds, children with behavioral and/or emotional needs, and children with medical or
physical disabilities. These children are therefore eligible for federal financial assistance when they
are adopted. Federal and state adoption assistance programs are designed to help adoptive parents
meet the children’s needs which can be extensive and costly.
In metropolitan Washington, the vast majority of children in foster care fit the definition of having
special needs due to their race, age, and membership in a sibling group. Utilizing federal financial
assistance toward special needs adoptions as an incentive, agencies aggressively recruit homes for
these children, who are also most at risk of leaving the system without a family.
Agency resource homes are recruited through public media outreach like Wednesday’s Child, which
is a partnership between NBC Washington and COG that features children who are waiting in foster
care to be adopted, but mostly through word of mouth. Adoption match parties and exchange events
also help agencies target families who are ready to adopt older children. All agencies have access to
“Families Like Yours,” customized videos created by COG used to attract and retain good foster
parents. These videos highlight outstanding parents identified as Foster/Resource Parents of the
Year, and are shared on traditional and social media to recruit other people like them.
Other traditional methods of recruitment, such as partnerships with faith-based organizations,
displays at libraries, and exhibiting at community festivals continue to aid in the recruitment of
resource families. Both Frederick County and Prince George’s County have recently launched a
series of recruitment videos which have significantly increased interest in their foster care programs.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 8

 Fairfax County is working engage more Spanish-speaking families and has begun offering bilingual
information sessions and training opportunities.
The internet has also become a widely-used tool for recruiting families for waiting children.
Resources like AdoptUsKids which is a free national photo listing to match children in need of
permanent homes with families who are approved to adopt from foster care are being used by
agencies like Child and Family Services (CFSA). AdoptUsKids also sponsors the National Resource
Center for Diligent Recruitment (NRCDR) which provides free recruitment resources for child welfare
agencies with the goal of achieving improved outcomes, including permanency and placement
stability for children and youth in foster care.
All of these recruitment strategies have helped area agencies sustain children in families during their
time in foster care rather than congregate care homes. On December 31, 2016, 2549 children were
in foster care and on average 78 percent of these children were placed in families7 while 13 percent
were placed in congregate care.
Extensive attempts are made to avoid placement in congregate care settings. The ultimate goal for
all agencies is to place children in the least-restrictive, most family-like setting. Most agencies
attempt to reduce congregate care with a focus on reunification and/or a focus on permanency.
Agencies in the region aim to rely less on congregate care homes because children in group care are
more likely to age-out of the system without any permanent connections. If a child is placed in a
foster home, their permanency outcomes are far better due to the number of connections they have
in the community and the greater likelihood that a foster family may allow the child to stay in their
home past their 18th or 21st birthday. Agencies are also utilizing more oversight and levels of review
prior to authorizing congregate care placements.
Table 3. Placement Type on December 31, 2016*
Jurisdiction

Agency Therapeutic
PreTrial
Relative/ Congregate
Independent Run
Foster Foster Care
Adoptive Home
Other*
Kinship
Care
Living
Away
Home
(TFC)
Home
Visit

District of Columbia

16%

44%

20%

7%

4%

0%

3%

2%

4%

Frederick County

17%

16%

15%

23%

23%

5%

1%

0%

0%

Montgomery County

22%

17%

28%

17%

1%

4%

4%

1%

7%

Prince George's County

13%

46%

11%

15%

0%

2%

4%

2%

7%

Charles County

33%

18%

10%

16%

10%

4%

7%

1%

1%

City of Alexandria

35%

26%

9%

10%

5%

6%

8%

0%

1%

Arlington County

33%

29%

16%

12%

6%

3%

1%

0%

0%

Fairfax County

17%

31%

6%

5%

18%

9%

9%

2%

3%

Loudoun County

20%

15%

8%

15%

18%

2%

20%

0%

2%

Prince William County
Regional Average

70%
28%

0%
24%

10%
13%

5%
13%

5%
9%

4%
4%

5%
6%

1%
1%

0%
3%

*Data captured reflects a point in time.
Source: COG
Source
The sum of Agency Foster Home, Therapeutic Foster Care), Relative/Kinship, Pre-adoptive, and trial home visit were used to calculate the
number of youth placed in families.

7

Annual Report on Foster Care I 9

 There are certainly cases where congregate group
or institutional placements are warranted due to
behavioral and psychological issues. Agencies also
work to shorten each child’s length of stay in these
facilities, and create opportunities for children to do
what is called “step down.”

Lani Pinkney is named Foster/Resource Parent of the Year for
Prince George’s County (COG)

It is important to note that in all instances, retention
of foster or adoptive parents is extremely important.
All states across the country sponsor Foster Parent
Month ceremonies in May, and Adoption Month
ceremonies in November. However, year-round
retention programs are critical to ensure the
longevity of placements.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 10

 TRANSITIONING YOUTH OUT OF FOSTER CARE
Just as many children aged-out of foster care (243) in metropolitan Washington than were adopted
(244) in 2016. It is important to note that the vast majority of adoptions occurred by foster parents
or people who had a former relationship with the youth. Identifying excellent foster/resource parents,
those who purposefully bond with the children that are placed in their homes, directly impacts the
permanency outcomes of the children during their tenure in foster care. It also increases the
likelihood that children will not age-out of foster care without a permanent home.
Charles County utilizes Family Finder services to reach out to relatives to assess if they are potential
lifelong supportive resources for foster care youth. Blended Perspective Meetings are held with the
resources to facilitate a discussion about their considerations, options, and realistic roles. These
types of programs are critical in identifying and securing lifelong supportive resources for youth who
enter the foster care system.
Figure 2. Exits from Foster Care, 2016
Figure 2. Exits from Foster Care,

Exits (Guardianship)

Exits (Age Out)

Exits (Adoption)

Exits (Reunification)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Source: COG
Source

Annual Report on Foster Care I 11

 Permanency Success Story – Frederick County, MD
Joe (10)* and Sam (12)* had experienced years of instability prior to their entry into
foster care. Their most constant relationships were with each other, their
grandparents, and their mother.
Upon entering foster care, their grandparents came forward to keep the children
together and with family. Their grandparents worked hard to provide as normal a life
as possible for the children and worked with the Department to facilitate the children’s
continued relationship with their mother while she was in a rehabilitation program.
When their mother transitioned to a halfway house, the grandparents continued to
provide support for the children as visitation expanded and plans were made for
reunification. As the steps to reunification progressed, the children expressed regret at
leaving the stability and nurturing they were receiving with their grandparents. When
reunification plans came to an abrupt halt, the grandparents made an immediate
decision to become permanent caregivers.
Joe and Sam were able to exit foster care together to continue their lives with their
grandparents in the permanency and stability of relative guardianship. Their
connection with their grandparents, extended family, and mother remained intact
throughout their status as foster children, and after the Department left their lives.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality

*

Annual Report on Foster Care I 12

 PREPARING YOUTH WHO WILL EXIT OUT OF
FOSTER CARE
Children exit foster care when they are reunified
with their birth family, secure guardianship with a
foster parent or relative8, are adopted, or age-out
from the system on their 18th or 21st birthday; the
latter is the type of exit all agencies strive to
diminish.
During 2016, 243 children aged out of the system.
On December 31, 2016, 364 children had a nonpermanency goal, another planned permanency
living arrangement, or long-term foster care,
meaning they are at-risk of leaving the system
Yes Conference (COG)
without a family on their 18th or 21st birthday. As
previously mentioned, youth who are in congregate
Caption (Photographer/So
group care or institutions on their 18th or 21st birthday are more likely to age-out and are most at
risk of becoming homeless.
Housing in metropolitan Washington comes at a premium. The number of affordable housing units is
not keeping pace with demand or wages. This conundrum causes a very vulnerable population of
youth at the pivotal age of 18 or 21 to be challenged to support themselves as they continue their
collegiate or vocational studies, and try to secure employment that pays a living wage. Some
jurisdictions in the region offer youth who opt to stay in the system past their 18th birthday a small
stipend to cover their living expenses, but the source of this funding is uncertain in the future and
ends when they turn 21.
The 2017 COG report, Homelessness in Metropolitan Washington, counted 375 single Transition
Age Youth and 1,064 persons in Transition Age Youth families (including children under the age of
18) on January 25, 2017. Of this total, 72 youth between the ages of 18 and 24 reported having a
history of involvement with the foster care system.
Charles County has recently introduced an initiative called Launching Families, which is designed to
support youth in out-of-home care, typically ages 18 to 21, in preparing for self-sufficiency by
identifying a local resource to work with them. An individual or family may provide a living space, as
well as participate in any life skill development needs of the youth.
Virginia has recently passed a policy called Fostering Futures, which is a program that maximizes the
support to youth aging out of foster care to receive supports that include housing, monthly casework
support and access to counsel. Additionally, it expands services to youth who are working, attending
education programs, or who are medically unable to do either. This policy allows for re-entry for
participants who have exited the program and wish to re-enter prior to their 21st birthday. It also
expands services to cross-over youth who were in the custody of Department of Juvenile Justice.
8

The State of Virginia does not subsidize guardianship; instead custody is transferred without financial support.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 13

 Jurisdictions around the region are focused on reversing the aging-out trend. COG is also focused on
this challenge, and is working with private partners to create opportunities for this vulnerable
population of youth. Youth Emerging Successfully (Y.E.S.) and Trailblazer Fund are programs
established by COG. The Y.E.S. program provides critically important networking and soft-skills
training for youth who are aging-out of the foster care system in the metropolitan Washington region,
and entering their first year of college. The Trailblazer Fund has provided over $10,000 dollars in
scholarship funds to youth since its inception in 2015.

Annual Report on Foster Care I 14

 CONCLUSION
Over the past eight years, the region has seen a 45 percent decline in the number of children
entering the foster care system with a total of 2,549 children in the system on December 31, 2016.
Local jurisdictions continue to focus significant efforts on prevention, which have been strengthened
by community-based intervention services and increasing integrative services across agencies.
These prevention services are responsible for diverting thousands of children from entering foster
care and reducing the length of time spent in foster care for those children who are unable to remain
in their homes.
One of the prominent challenges noted in this report is the overrepresentation of African American
youth in the region’s foster care system. The child welfare community has acknowledged the
problem and is focusing on formulating and implementing solutions by evaluating systems and
identifying where and how disproportionality is occurring. Older teens continue to be the largest
population of youth in the foster care system. Recruiting families for teens, medically fragile youth,
and youth with more intensive behavioral/emotional needs continues to be a challenge across the
region. Increased opportunities, including increased funding, partnerships with television stations,
radio opportunities, social media, corporations, and faith based organizations for recruitment provide
a platform for agencies to reach a wider audience and to better educate the public about the
realistic needs of children in the foster care system.
While reunification is the goal for all children who enter the foster care system, the reality is that
many children are unable to reunite with birth family and additional permanency options must be
explored. For many “hard-to-place” youth, exiting out of foster care without a permanent home is a
reality that must be prepared for. While the vast majority of youth in care in 2016 exited out of the
system through reunification, adoption or guardianship, 243 youth “aged-out.” Maximizing support
for this population of youth is critical to preventing negative outcomes such as homelessness,
incarceration, and early pregnancy. Youth who remain connected to services and positive support
systems are more likely to pursue higher education, obtain a college diploma, and enter the
workforce with successful trajectories.
The safety and well-being of the region’s children continues to remain a top priority for COG and its
members. The COG child welfare committees are focusing on the following areas to address the
following current critical needs:
 Child abuse/neglect prevention
 Improved integrative services
 Addressing disproportionality
 Increased recruitment and public
awareness
 Permanency for “hard-to-place” youth
 Improving outcomes for youth exiting
foster care
Evan and Bethany Raulerson are named Prince William County
Foster/Resource Parents of the Year (COG)

Annual Report on Foster Care I 15

 This project is possible through the support of COG and its Child Welfare Data Group, including:
 Arlington County Department of Social Services - Tiffany Lee
 Charles County Department of Social Services - Kimberly Biss, Missy Mohler, Donna Staff, Dave
Ward
 City of Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services, Center for Children and
Families - Kristen Russo
 District of Columbia Child and Family Services - Gavin Kirkpatrick
 Fairfax County Department of Family Services - Emily Albert & Twana Johnson
 Frederick County Department of Social Services - Kim Smith
 Loudoun County Department of Family Services - Sheri Ball
 Montgomery County Department of Social Services - Michelle Forney
 Prince George’s County Department of Social Services - Kai Boggess-de Bruin
 Prince William County Department of Social Services - Phyllis Jennings

Annual Report on Foster Care I 16

 

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