(INDIANAPOLIS) — The number of children in Indiana's foster care system has increased by 30% in a single year, rising from just over 6,000 to nearly 7,900 children, according to the latest data from the Department of Child Services (DCS). This spike in Indiana's numbers occurred even as the national total of children in foster care decreased by 2%.
The new data from 2023-2024 shows an increase in entries into the state's foster care system, and comes after the number of cases steadily declined to a historic low in 2023. An Indiana DCS director called the increase a "snapshot in time" and noted that the agency is prioritizing child safety