Anne Arundel County has about 160 children at any given time who are in need of foster care placement or adoptive homes.  But there are far fewer foster or adoptive parents available to care for the children.

Our statistics document that the greatest need we now have is for foster homes/parents to care for teenagers, sibling groups, and medically-fragile infants.

As of May 31, 2011, 153 children are under the care and custody of Anne Arundel County's Department of Social Services.  Almost 70 new children enter into foster care in the County each year.  About 11% of the total number of foster children in our care now have an adoption plan.

Of the 153 children in our care, nearly two-thirds are teenagers.  About 22% of new children entering foster care are under 12 months old, and of those, many are born drug exposed.  Unfortunately, more than 40% of foster children from Anne Arundel County are placed outside of the County largely because there are not enough foster homes in the County.  Furthermore, more than half of school aged children entering care mut change schools because there are not enough foster families in each school district.

Trends impacting our need for foster parents:

• Majority of our infants (0-12 months) have special needs
• Great need for foster parets who will care for teenagers
• Sibling groups account for a large number of those in foster care
• Significant percentage of children in out-of-County care indicates that we need more Anne Arundel County foster homes
• Equal number of Caucasian and minority children.