Foster Care - Adoption Milestones

Data Provider: NYS Office of Children and Family Services

Related Indicators:

Foster Care Adoption Milestone-Children Freed for Adoption [view data]
Foster Care Adoption Milestone-Children Discharged to Adoption [view data]

Life Area:

Family

Definition:

Adoption Milestones presents four indicators that measure milestones in the multi-step adoption process for children in foster care on the adoption track:

Goal Set presents the number of children with a goal set to adoption during the calendar year and the percentage of all children in foster care at any time during the calendar year.
Freed for Adoption presents the number of children freed during the calendar year and the percentage of all children in foster care at any time during the calendar year.
Placed for Adoption presents the number of children placed for adoption during the calendar year and the percentage of all children in foster care who had a goal of adoption on December 31 of given year or had a goal set to adoption, were freed, placed or discharged to adoption at any time during the calendar year.
Discharged to Adoption presents the number of children discharged to adoption during the calendar year and the percentage of children in foster care at any time during the calendar year with a goal of adoption and status of free for adoption.

Note: Children with waivers are excluded from all indicators.

Significance:

Each milestone represents a step in the adoption process for children in foster care on the adoption track:

Goal of Adoption: a foster child is given a permanency goal of adoption when the authorized agency has determined that the child's parent(s) is/are unable or unwilling to provide a safe, permanent home for the child in a timely fashion consistent with the needs of the child.
Legally/Completely Freed Child: a person under the age of 18 years whose custody and guardianship has been transferred to an authorized agency as a result of either a surrender or a termination of parental rights order of the Family Court or Surrogate's Court.
Adoptive Placement: the child has been placed in the home for the purpose of adoption and the authorized agency and the prospective adoptive parents have signed an Adoptive Placement Agreement (APA), and the facts of the placement are recorded according to New York State statute.
Discharge to Adoption (Discharged from foster care, Re: Adoption): the court has approved the adoption and guardianship and custody have been transferred from the authorized agency to the adoptive parent(s).

Findings:

Discharge to Adoption: Statewide, in 2022, 1,370 children and youth with a goal and status of free for adoption were discharged to adoption (44.8%). The percentage was higher in Rest of State compared to New York City (45.4% and 43.7%, respectively). Compared to 2005, the absolute number of youths discharged to adoption across the state has decreased (3,115 to 1,370); however, the percent of eligible youth discharged to adoption has increased (39.2% to 44.8%).
Legally/Completely Freed: Statewide, in 2022, 1,472 children in foster care were freed for adoption. The percentage point increased to 6.9% from 5.6% in 2021. Also, for 2022, the percentage was still lower in New York City (5.5%) compared to the Rest of State (9.0%). The trend has shifted in comparison to 2005, when the number of youths freed for adoption in New York City (7.6%) was higher than in the Rest of State (6.3%).