CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

The number of children in Orange County foster care homes has been steadily rising during the last three years, rising 14.4% between 1987 and 1989. The bulk of that increase, 11%, occurred between 1987 and 1988. At the same time, the average age has been decreasing. Here’s a profile of foster care children in the county during the last three years. The gender, ethnicity and type of home categories are reported in percentages, which, because of rounding, may not add up to 100%:

1987 1988 1989 Number of Children 2,437 2,717 2,787 Average Age 9.4 9.2 8.9 GENDER: Percent Male 50.1 49.6 49.2 Percent Female 49.8 50.3 50.8 ETHNICITY: White 60.5 58.5 58.7 Asian 5.7 5.2 5.1 Black 6.9 6.6 7.5 Latino 26.1 29.0 28.0 Filipino 0.2 0.2 0.1 American Indian 0.2 0.3 0.3 Unknown 0 0.2 0.3 TYPE OF HOME: Single Family 71.1 71.1 71.1 Group * 22.9 23.7 23.7 Other 6.1 5.7 4.6

* Group homes are county-licensed shelters with paid staff. They are a common option for emotionally disturbed children who cannot function in a traditional family setting. Maximum age for a foster child in any type of home is 18 or until high school graduation.

FOSTER CARE PROFILE, 1989 How do the children in Orange County foster homes compare to those in the surrounding counties? Here’s a look at the similarities and differences:

Los San San Angeles Orange Riverside Bernardino Diego Number of Children 29,234 2,787 2,500 3,143 6,896 Average Age 8.4 8.9 9.6 9.5 8.3 GENDER: Percent Male 49.6 49.2 51.8 54.5 51.8 Percent Female 50.4 50.8 48.2 45.5 48.2 ETHNICITY: White 25.7 58.7 64.8 52.0 51.6 Asian 0.8 5.1 0.4 1.0 1.9 Black 50.7 7.5 13.0 23.7 27.6 Latino 22.3 28.0 20.1 22.7 17.0 Filipino 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.8 American Indian 0.2 0.3 1.4 0.5 1.0 Unknown 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.1 TYPE OF HOME: Single Family 84.7 71.1 82.0 81.3 86.9 Group 13.7 23.7 16.0 17.1 12.2 Other 1.9 4.6 2.0 1.6 0.9

FIVE-COUNTY COMPARISON Orange County’s foster care situation is comparatively good when looked at next to its neighbors. Not only did Orange County have a smaller increase from 1988 to 1989 in the number of children in foster care homes, but the 1989 number of children per thousand residents is by far the lowest among the five counties. Too, those county rates compare favorably to the state measures. Here’s how Orange County, the four contiguous counties and the state compare:

% Change Rate Per Percentage of 1989 From Thousand 1989 5-County County Total 1988 Residents Total Los Angeles 29,234 +32.5 3.4 66 Orange 2,787 +2.6 1.2 6 Riverside 2,500 +7.4 2.5 6 San Bernardino 3,143 +11.2 2.4 7 San Diego 6,896 +16.3 2.9 15 Five-County Total 44,560 +24.3 2.8 100 STATE TOTAL 76,303 +18.0 2.7 --

Percentage of 1989 State County Total Los Angeles 38 Orange 4 Riverside 3 San Bernardino 4 San Diego 9 Five-County Total 58 STATE TOTAL 100

TO BECOME A FOSTER PARENT

For information on becoming a foster parent, contact the Orange County Social Services Agency at (714) 931-0663 or call the 24-hour foster care hotline, 1-800-426-2233.

Source: Orange County Social Services Agency, individual agencies