State of Nebraska Foster Care Statistics
Last year Christian Heritage foster care served over 300 children.Nebraska has one of the highest rates in the nation for children placed in out-of-home care, at 19 per 1,000.
On 12/31/2008 there were 4,620 children in foster care in Nebraska. Of the 4,620, 1,743 were in Douglas County and 942 were in Lancaster County.
The following statistics are from the Department of Health and Human Services' Nebraska Family Online Client User System (N-FOCUS). This information reflects the number of youth in state custody throughout Calendar Year 2009. Some of the data is a point-in-time "snapshot" of information as of December 31, 2009.
During 2009, there were 2,566 children age five and younger in the custody of the state.
Youth in State Custody in CY 2009: 10,383. Of these, 85.5% were in out-of-home care.
* 24.7% were age 0 to 5 years
* 16.4% were 6 to 10 years
* 21.9% were 11 to 15 years
* 36.9% were 16 to 19 years
* 57% white
* 16.8% black
* 14.4% Hispanic
* 4.7% Native American
* 7.1% mixed/other
* 56.4% male
* 43.6 female
Youth in state custody on December 31, 2009: 6,245
* 2,030 (32.5%) in non-relative foster homes
* 932 (14.9%) in relative foster homes
* 1,906 (30.5%) with parents
* 604 (9.7%) in group homes
* 596 (9.5%) in institutions
* 177 (2.9%) Other
Discharges during 2009: 4,210--of whom 2,883 were reunified with parents.
There were 491 children adopted in 2009, 368 made free to adopt, and 117 placed in adoptive homes.
So, what does all this information mean? The need for safe, caring foster homes is SIGNIFICANT! Without people willing to open their homes to care for these children, the need will continue to be overwhelming. If this information has moved your heart to consider becoming a foster parent visit the I am Interested! What's Next? page on our site.