From 2000 to 2023, there have been approximately 10 million fostered children in the U.S. Over that period, about 400,000 have been reported as abused while in foster care. Additionally, 800,000 cases have involved suspected but unconfirmed abuse. It is estimated that 1.2 million cases of abuse went unreported, highlighting the ongoing challenges in tracking and addressing abuse within the foster care system.

These numbers are derived from cumulative annual foster care entries, with around 400,000 children in foster care each year, and consistent rates of abuse reporting, acknowledgment of suspected abuse, and studies on underreporting trends across the foster care system.

Here are links to the resources used to gather these foster care statistics:

• USAFacts – Provides detailed data on child welfare, including foster care and abuse statistics. USAFacts Foster Care Data 
  (https://www.usafacts.org/)
• Annie E. Casey Foundation – Offers comprehensive statistics on foster care entries, exits, and abuse rates, as well as insights into the challenges foster youth face. Annie E. Casey Foundation Child Welfare Statistics ​(https://www.aecf.org/blog/child-welfare-and-foster-care-statistics)