Before children enter state care, they are living in unsafe homes. While neglect and abuse are common, dangers to children range in type and severity.

Many biological parents ("bio parents") love their children dearly and wouldn't want to hurt them. One example might be an undocumented immigrant mother working 3 jobs, unable to supervise or feed her kids. Or, maybe bio dad loves his daughter, but his girlfriend is sexually abusing her every night without his knowledge. Maybe mom is a drug dealer and allows dangerous people into the home regularly.

Other bio parents have a more complicated relationship with their children. They may take out anger on their children by beating them or tying them up. They may not hurt the child physically, but scream at them daily and make them do humiliating things. Abuse comes in many forms, and children are more vulnerable than anyone else.

A neighbor, family member, or teacher will notice some indication of abuse or danger and notify the police. From there, the police notify CPS, who conduct an investigation at the home.

CPS's first and most important priority is to keep children safe and united with their families. If the problem in the home can be solved with minor interventions like therapy, the child will stay in their own home while that is done. IF that is not safe or healthy for the child, CPS will ask a relative or close family friend if they can care for the child while things are corrected at home. Then, IF no family member is available, CPS will place them in foster care. The healthiest way for a child to live is in a home environment, but if no foster homes are available to take that child, they are placed in a residential care facility.

Think back to when you were a child and the comfort you felt in having a place to call home. Seeing your mom and dad every morning. Maybe walking to the same bus stop every day.

Now imagine one day you come home and a stranger tells you they are taking you away from your family because you are not safe there. Your parents are noticeably upset, and you don't have time to process your thoughts because you have to pack up and leave immediately. You don't know when you'll see them again, if they still love you, or if you'll even go to the same school.

Because of the trauma associated with leaving their homes, combined with any other trauma in their past, children in the foster system are faced with numerous mental and emotional challenges. They often take a long time to adjust to living in a new home because they are scared, confused, and often times hurt. They find it hard to trust anyone, and many face developmental delays and can have a hard time making friends.

However, with trust-based relational interventions, many children in foster care heal and grow over time, learning to love their foster families and themselves.

Children can exit the foster system in one of three ways: returning to their bio families, being adopted, or "aging out". A child ages out of foster care if they do not have a permanent home by age 18. While they may grow up to be healthy and self-sufficient adults, this is rarely the case.

20% become instantly homeless.

Only 1 in 2 have some form of gainful employment by the age of 24.

There is less than a 3% chance for them to earn a college degree at any point in their life.

7 out of 10 girls will become pregnant before the age of 21.