Fact Sheet

FosterCare.Team Facts

• Development of FosterCare.Team began in July 2015.
  • Initially, we intended this to a be a private solution, simply to meet the needs of our foster family.
  • After positive feedback from our foster care team, we decided to make some changes to our platform so it could be used by agencies and other foster parents.
• FosterCare.Team opened for public use in April 2018 but has been used privately since 2015.
• Our official launch date is April 30, 2018.  While technically the website was available and open to the public prior to that date, April 30 represents 4 years to the day of when our now adoptive children came to us as foster children.  We couldn't think of a better date to officially launch.
• Co-Founder Jason Bays, a Hope College graduate, has designed and developed custom software systems since 1996.
• Co-Founder Nikki Bays, a Grand Valley State University graduate, has worked as a special education teacher, invention specialist and early childhood specialist since 1995.
• Jason and Nikki have six children, including four who were adopted from foster care.

US Foster Care Industry Facts

• Source: US Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Children & Families; AFCARS Report (2016)​
  • The number of children entering care has increased every year since 2012.
  • The number of children in foster care has increased every year since 2012.
  • On September 30, 2016, there were 437,465 children in foster care.
  • The average age of a child in foster care is 8 years old.
  • The median amount of time spent in care is 12.7 month.
  • Race and ethnicity of children in foster care: 44% White, 23% African-American, 21% Hispanic, 7% Multiracial, 2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 2% Unknown, 1% Asian.
  • Of the 15 categories, states can report for the circumstances associated with a child’s removal from home and placement into care, drug abuse by a parent had the largest percentage point increase, from 32 percent in FY 2015 to 34 percent in FY 2016
• Up to 60% of foster parents quit in the first 12 months.
  • Source: National Foster Parent Association as referenced here
• 40% of families that leave foster parenting do so primarily because of inadequate agency support.
  • Source: National Foster Parent Association as referenced here
• 85% of foster parents report struggling with grief and loss.
  • Source:  Foster Focus Magazine - Foster  Parent Retention: What are the Foster Parents Saying?
• Annual foster parent turnover averages between 30% - 50%.
  • Source: Foster Focus Magazine - Foster Parent Retention Revisited
  • Source:  Foster Focus Magazine - Foster  Parent Retention: What are the Foster Parents Saying?
• Annual foster care caseworker turnover averages between 20% and 40%.
  • Source: Review of Turnover in Milwaukee County Private Agency Child Welfare Ongoing Case Management Staff Study (2005)
  • Source: PCG Human Services

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