Pennsylvania has too Much Reliance on Group Homes!

Youth who are streamlined into group homes lose out on the development of family and permanent connections that are vital for their transition into adulthood. Why is Pennsylvania so reliant on group homes? Other states have managed to increase placement into relative foster care and have even reduced the number of children in their child welfare systems by 50%! Its time for things to change, especially when it comes to serving our most vulnerable children. You can find a data snapshot from KidsCount from the link below.

PAP4Children: Too Much Reliance on Group Homes in PA: "The good news - according to the federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems (AFCARS) - is that the total number of children in foster care has declined from 544,303 in 2000 to 423,773 in 2009. Furthermore, 37 states have reduced group home or institutional placements since 2000 with five states reducing their numbers by more than 50 percent."