Report: NM Effectively Placing Foster Children in Families

By Roz Brown, Public News Service – NM
April 4, 2019

ALBUQUERQUE – When it comes to placing foster children with families, New Mexico is doing better than most states across the country.

A new report looks at data from child-welfare systems across all 50 states and the District of Columbia over a 10-year period, to monitor changes in placements for young people in foster care.

It found that care systems nationwide placed 86% of foster children in family settings in 2017, up from 81% in 2007.

The number was even higher in New Mexico, said Paige Knight, research and policy analyst with New Mexico Voices for Children: “New Mexico is one of 16 states and the District of Columbia to place 90% or more of young people in families in 2017.”

However, despite improvements in the past 10 years, the placement rate for teens has remained stagnant, and there are persistent racial disparities for children of all ages in foster care.

Read more at Public News Service – NM