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Caritas Community
Our Children Need YOU!
There are over 400,000 incredible children in our foster care system.
Everyone of them has dreams.
Everyone of them has their own personality.
Everyone of them deserves to be loved.
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We cannot do what we do without the help of our Community. All of you an equally diverse, and unique group of individuals who have their own skills and experiences that can help our children in foster care meet their goals and dreams.
Statistics
Average Age:
The average age for a child in foster care is around 8 years old. Newborns, make up the minority at 7%, and teenagers come in at around 27%.
Leading Causes of Entry:
The number one reason for children entering the system is for neglect (~62%). The problem with neglect, is often neglect is a case of poverty. Maltreatment rates are 5 times higher in families of low economic status. Parental drug abuse is number two on the list (~33%), care taker inability to cope (~13%), and physical abuse (~13%).
Average Placements:
Data from Annie E Casey Foundation cites that more than one third of the children in foster care will transfer three or more times in a single year. Adding more instability and stress into the child.
Social Worker Turnover
Social worker burnout is at a record high. Ranging from a 20-40% turnover rate. This is important for our kids because a study done by Milwaukee County showed if a child had a single consistent case work then around 75% of the time that child would find permanent placement. That number drops to only 17.5% if they had two case workers.
