County-specific title

NC PATH data We are in the process of integrating the new NCPATH foster care data into prior datasets. Until this is complete, current foster care data frequencies reported here will be lower than the true frequencies. This note will be removed when the integration is complete.

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Child welfare data
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Commonly used acronyms
Measures on the experiences report
CFSR measures
Abuse & neglect
Children in foster care

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Demographics: Count of children aged <19 years in previous 5 years

Initial entry cohorts

Initial entry cohort by gender and age

From Number of children Age 0-5 Age 6-12 Age 13-17 Missing DOB Male Female
2025 July 4,068 2,078 1,192 794 4 2,066 2,002
2024 July 4,493 2,369 1,211 909 4 2,274 2,219
2023 July 4,359 2,253 1,271 832 3 2,133 2,226
2022 July 4,426 2,355 1,202 864 5 2,200 2,226
2021 July 4,332 2,323 1,231 774 4 2,181 2,151
2020 July 4,542 2,425 1,316 797 4 2,264 2,278
2019 July 4,633 2,481 1,311 829 12 2,283 2,350
2018 July 4,986 2,748 1,457 769 12 2,471 2,513
2017 July 5,015 2,725 1,413 867 10 2,561 2,454
2016 July 5,517 3,040 1,572 897 8 2,843 2,674
2015 July 5,199 2,852 1,484 857 6 2,644 2,555
2014 July 5,109 2,743 1,429 931 6 2,659 2,450
2013 July 5,105 2,753 1,381 968 3 2,632 2,473
2012 July 4,702 2,523 1,286 885 8 2,397 2,305
2011 July 4,452 2,405 1,177 860 10 2,228 2,224
2010 July 4,585 2,531 1,173 875 6 2,324 2,261
2009 July 4,459 2,364 1,147 939 9 2,265 2,194
2008 July 4,587 2,382 1,217 983 5 2,344 2,243
2007 July 4,914 2,537 1,292 1,080 5 2,426 2,488
2006 July 5,715 2,923 1,504 1,281 7 2,891 2,824
2005 July 5,988 3,023 1,645 1,312 8 2,972 3,015
2004 July 5,959 2,847 1,651 1,449 12 2,929 3,030
2003 July 5,520 2,727 1,497 1,284 12 2,758 2,762
2002 July 5,243 2,506 1,537 1,189 11 2,581 2,662
2001 July 5,135 2,424 1,554 1,143 14 2,514 2,621
2000 July 4,901 2,215 1,583 1,087 16 2,443 2,458
1999 July 5,151 2,310 1,679 1,146 16 2,631 2,520
1998 July 5,259 2,376 1,714 1,159 10 2,627 2,632
1997 July 5,299 2,436 1,691 1,154 18 2,596 2,703


Citations- The suggested way to cite this website is as follows: Duncan, D. F., Stewart, C. J., Seminara, G., Malley, K. M. D., Reives, W., Francis, A., & Guest, S. (2026). Creating Indicators for Child Welfare. Retrieved [month day, year], from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Social Work. https://cip.ssw.unc.edu/ or https://creatingindicators.ssw.unc.edu