Poverty and substance abuse negatively affect many families and their ability to care for their children.  Out-of-home placements attempt to provide children with safe and nurturing environments for those children whose families are no longer able to care for them.  The Children’s Administration reports on children in placement greater than 60-days because children in care longer than 60-days must have a permanency plan completed at that point.

The Region 5 office of DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) Children’s Administration has provided data for foster care placements in Pierce County.  As of December 1, 2008, there were 1,155 children in out-of-home care, a slight increase since October 2007, there were 1,121 children in out-of-home care with a length of stay exceeding 60 days.  The median number of days that Pierce County's youth were placed in out-of-home care in 2008 was 469 days, which is less than the 538 days in 2007.

Over 9,200 children were placed in out-of-home care in Washington State this year, excluding children in guardianships.  The state has seen an upward trend since 2003, when approximately 8,600 children were counted statewide.  The median number of days children spend in out-of-home care in Washington State was 585days, higher than the median for Pierce County children.

Active Foster Care Homes

The number of active foster care homes (homes with a placement) in Pierce County fell from 921 in 2007 to 723 in December of 2008, the lowest number of active foster care homes since 2000 despite having more children in out of home care. 

Of the active foster care homes in Pierce County, approximately 34% of the homes are counted as “minority homes,” while almost 44% of the children in out-of-home care are non-white.  Additionally, 42% of children in out-of-home care were placed with relatives.