Foster Care
CFEF Possum Trot
Foster Care
Key Metric
Total out of home
1415
Raising Kids is Hard. No One Can Do it Alone.
Local Foster Care is Up 30%+ over the last decade in Sedgwick County. This issue is ground zero for many of the greatest challenges in society. Children who spend time in foster care are far more likely to drop out of school, experience homelessness, be victims of sex trafficking, and spend time in the judicial system.
Right now in Sedgwick County, more than 1,300 of our most vulnerable children are stuck in an overloaded foster care system. More than 100 are awaiting adoption. Much of this could have been prevented if families had the support they needed. Abuse was listed as the primary reason for removal in only 28% of local cases.
The challenges facing vulnerable children and families in our community can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t take a huge commitment to make a difference. From meeting physical needs to relational needs to opening your home and more - everyone can play their part.
700 families have kids in foster care. Imagine what’s possible if Wichita’s 400+ churches continued their important work - with increased focus on caring for children and their families.
By The Numbers
Helpful insight into some of the factors that affect the key metric and have an impact on this reality. Select an area on the map to view neighborhood-level stats.
Permanency Goal
Adoption (39.5)
Custodian/ Guardianship (0.22)
OPPLA (8.94)
Maintain in Family (1.65)
Reunification (49.59)
Removed and Exits from Foster Care
340
Removed from homes
397
Exited Foster System
Reasons for Removal
Abandonment (7)
Caretaker inability to cope (17)
Lack of Supervision (13)
Neglect (13)
Other (12)
Parent's substance abuse (8)
Physical Abuse (25)
Sexual Abuse (3)
Out of Home Placement Over Time
Stories and Local Context
Listen to and learn from the stories of people, churches and/or organizations experiencing or engaging this reality first hand.
Get Involved
Links to Books, Resources, Organizations and/or Opportunities that are engaging this topic well.
The challenges facing vulnerable children and families in our community can feel overwhelming. But we believe that, together, we can rewrite the story for Sedgwick County families. And it doesn’t take a huge commitment to make a difference. Every effort matters.