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 2020
In Fairfax County, approximately 200 children are in foster care currently. If you are interested in foster care, here are some statistics that you might want to consider as you learn more about the scope of the issue.
There are over 5,500 children in foster care in Virginia. (VDSS).
There are over 200 children in foster care in Fairfax County.
Of the children in foster care in Fairfax, 51% are girls and 49% are boys.
31% of children in Fairfax County foster care are Hispanic, 28% are African American, 17% are Multi-Racial and 16% are Caucasian. (2% Other)
76 children entered Fairfax County foster care in FY 2020.
39% of the children in Fairfax County foster care are 13 years and older.
The average stay in Fairfax County foster care is 18 months.
34% of children in foster care in Fairfax County are age 5 and under. 24% are age 6-12 years and 42% are 13-20 years.
108 children left foster care in Fairfax County in FY 2020:
- 23% of children who exited Fairfax County foster care aged out without a permanent home at 21.
- 24% of Fairfax County children in foster care returned to their birth family.
- 40% of children were adopted, and 11% were permanently placed with relatives. (2% Other)
There are approximately 120 active foster families certified through Fairfax County.
In Fairfax County 68% of foster parents are Caucasian, 12% are Black, 12% are Multiracial, and 6% are Hispanic. (2% Other)
62% of children in Foster Care in Fairfax County are in foster homes, 9% are in congregate care, and 12% are in relative foster homes. (Remaining children are in trial home visit or Independent Living.)
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.