Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing and stable environment. Unfortunately, there are some families who struggle to provide the security and positive childhood experiences their kids need.
The Department of Family Services' Foster Care and Adoption Program offers children a temporary home with loving, dedicated foster parents until they can return to their families or go to permanent homes. The healthy relationships and environments foster parents provide are a buffer against adverse experiences and ensure the long-term physical and emotional well-being of children.
Fairfax County Foster Care Statistics 2025
If you are interested in foster care, here are some statistics that you might want to consider. Numbers may not equal 100% due to rounding in some cases.
There are more than 5,800 children and youth in foster care in Virginia. (Virginia Department of Social Services)
There are approximately 250 children in foster care in Fairfax County.
There are approximately 80 active foster families certified through Fairfax County.
77 children and youth entered Fairfax County foster care in CY 2025.
Of the children and youth in foster care in Fairfax, 55% are girls and 45% are boys.
Ages of Children and Youth in Fairfax County Foster Care:
- 33% are 5 years and younger
- 30% are age 6-13 years
- 21% are 14-17 years
- 17% are 18-20 years
Children and Youth in care in each Racial Group:
- 46% are Caucasian
- 34% are African American
- 16% are Multi-Racial
- 2% are Asian
- 2% fall into other/unknown groups
Ethnicity of Children in care
- 46% are Hispanic
- 50% are Non-Hispanic
- 4% unknown
Children 0-17 years old
- 56% are in foster homes
- 28% are in relative foster homes
- 8% are in congregate care
- 4% are in trial home visits
- 3% other
Youth 18 and older
- 93% are in Supervised Independent Living
- 7% are in foster homes
The median length of time in Fairfax County foster care was 1.61 years. 64 children left foster care in Fairfax County in CY 2025:
- 50% of Fairfax County children in foster care returned home to their birth families
- 17% of children were adopted
- 11% were permanently placed with relatives
- 22% of children were emancipated or aged out without a permanent home
82% of children adopted during CY 2025 were adopted by relatives.
*Updated April 2026
Download the PDF version of this information.*
*Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. To request reasonable accommodations or to receive this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-7500 or TTY 703-222-9452.
Learn about the Department of Family Services Foster Care & Adoption Program.