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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In the exit types by cohort table, the data represent children who first entered care in a given year and who subsequently exited care some period later. We present these data categorized by the length of time in care. For example, a child might enter care in 2024 and subsequently exit within 1 year, 1-2 years, or more than two years from the date of entry

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

Experiences report for exit type

This table shows exit types by <b>entry cohort</p>, i.e., each row shows data for children who entered care in a given period. This is distinct from the raw number of exits in a given period as the latter is comprised of children from a variety of entry cohorts.

Group = Length of stay is 1 year or less

From To Number of Children # of children who left custody/pa 01 : Reunification with parents/primary caretakers 02 : Guardianship with a relative 03 : Adoption 04 : Guardianship with other court approved caretaker 05 : Custody with non-removal parent/relative 06 : Custody with other court approved caretaker 07 : Emancipation 08 : Transfer to another agency 09 : Runaway 10 : Death of child 11 : Interstate compact placement agreement with another state was terminated 12 : Authority revoked for reasons other than above Exit type not reported 14 : Child chose to terminate their CARS agreement 15 : Termination of voluntary placement agreement for Extended Foster Care Services (FC to 21)
2025 July Partial Year 3,647 730 238 97 8 34 96 29 18 24 1 3 1 96 72 0 5
2024 July 2025 June 1,318 1,316 425 200 14 53 190 96 49 18 4 12 1 98 118 0 20
2023 July 2024 June 1,418 1,418 561 195 13 35 298 69 48 29 3 7 1 100 36 0 20
2022 July 2023 June 1,493 1,493 552 215 29 49 288 120 35 26 4 6 6 104 27 0 31
2021 July 2022 June 1,411 1,411 503 225 46 53 278 106 41 16 5 8 2 81 13 0 34
2020 July 2021 June 1,416 1,416 517 249 35 43 245 73 29 24 4 8 0 142 15 0 32
2019 July 2020 June 1,489 1,489 583 232 48 47 273 83 39 19 2 6 3 104 11 0 39
2018 July 2019 June 1,572 1,572 593 317 46 41 267 67 43 18 3 6 2 98 21 0 50
2017 July 2018 June 1,600 1,597 615 314 41 46 279 80 46 24 2 1 4 72 18 0 55
2016 July 2017 June 1,940 1,940 718 408 61 68 387 79 39 17 3 5 2 99 13 2 39
2015 July 2016 June 1,918 1,918 756 376 52 63 369 70 74 33 1 7 11 90 3 5 8
2014 July 2015 June 1,930 1,930 798 385 36 46 362 64 70 26 4 5 21 103 4 1 5
2013 July 2014 June 1,828 1,828 779 319 36 53 353 67 89 23 7 7 2 81 10 1 1
2012 July 2013 June 1,818 1,818 819 331 67 47 309 70 69 16 2 6 12 66 3 1 0
2011 July 2012 June 1,811 1,811 828 295 58 49 335 60 67 7 6 3 24 73 6 0 0
2010 July 2011 June 1,902 1,902 832 290 71 37 389 72 68 34 7 7 19 70 6 0 0
2009 July 2010 June 1,765 1,765 902 240 70 44 260 43 76 25 4 5 15 71 10 0 0
2008 July 2009 June 1,861 1,861 827 300 72 18 344 50 82 36 10 11 21 82 8 0 0
2007 July 2008 June 2,132 2,132 1,068 320 71 51 323 72 69 47 14 7 17 67 6 0 0
2006 July 2007 June 2,452 2,452 1,270 368 82 50 375 77 61 54 19 6 20 69 1 0 0
2005 July 2006 June 2,670 2,670 1,303 411 80 54 463 80 75 56 19 11 30 81 7 0 0
2004 July 2005 June 2,736 2,736 1,415 401 82 44 391 113 76 66 17 13 15 102 1 0 0
2003 July 2004 June 2,532 2,532 1,233 364 70 47 419 104 54 86 16 6 25 108 0 0 0
2002 July 2003 June 2,527 2,527 1,329 289 75 41 391 113 58 101 12 12 18 88 0 0 0
2001 July 2002 June 2,516 2,516 1,370 332 84 41 330 119 48 80 18 8 14 72 0 0 0
2000 July 2001 June 2,399 2,399 1,385 264 55 47 297 86 26 90 13 7 13 115 1 0 0
1999 July 2000 June 2,602 2,602 1,428 253 58 32 409 141 42 82 17 9 16 115 0 0 0
1998 July 1999 June 2,658 2,658 1,534 239 47 29 390 149 38 78 19 7 16 112 0 0 0
1997 July 1998 June 2,563 2,563 1,541 255 34 19 400 112 27 62 22 5 12 74 0 0 0

Group = Length of stay is between 1 and 2 years

From To Number of Children # of children who left custody/pa 01 : Reunification with parents/primary caretakers 02 : Guardianship with a relative 03 : Adoption 04 : Guardianship with other court approved caretaker 05 : Custody with non-removal parent/relative 06 : Custody with other court approved caretaker 07 : Emancipation 08 : Transfer to another agency 09 : Runaway 10 : Death of child 11 : Interstate compact placement agreement with another state was terminated 12 : Authority revoked for reasons other than above Exit type not reported 14 : Child chose to terminate their CARS agreement 15 : Termination of voluntary placement agreement for Extended Foster Care Services (FC to 21)
2025 July Partial Year 421 27 0 18 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
2024 July 2025 June 2,885 812 213 216 79 68 65 53 25 11 3 2 1 7 60 0 2
2023 July 2024 June 1,253 1,253 380 299 152 123 109 55 41 7 0 1 1 9 50 0 12
2022 July 2023 June 1,260 1,260 472 219 184 99 104 71 39 8 1 0 1 9 36 0 15
2021 July 2022 June 1,323 1,323 448 244 219 87 157 57 34 1 1 2 2 16 17 0 36
2020 July 2021 June 1,369 1,369 468 284 223 107 155 43 34 1 0 3 0 3 4 0 44
2019 July 2020 June 1,481 1,481 567 320 213 85 153 37 40 2 2 1 0 10 2 0 49
2018 July 2019 June 1,491 1,491 508 326 286 112 132 43 37 3 0 2 4 7 1 0 29
2017 July 2018 June 1,672 1,672 579 320 369 94 152 52 40 2 2 1 4 8 4 0 45
2016 July 2017 June 1,630 1,628 543 337 363 87 126 52 44 2 0 3 5 6 9 0 51
2015 July 2016 June 1,551 1,549 490 311 365 62 180 36 54 3 1 3 0 0 8 1 35
2014 July 2015 June 1,571 1,571 560 327 325 66 144 49 73 0 1 1 1 3 2 3 16
2013 July 2014 June 1,595 1,595 617 269 354 60 139 44 88 3 1 0 1 9 0 5 5
2012 July 2013 June 1,417 1,417 524 253 287 47 183 38 71 1 1 1 1 7 0 2 1
2011 July 2012 June 1,312 1,312 489 250 307 27 133 37 56 2 1 0 4 6 0 0 0
2010 July 2011 June 1,493 1,493 506 241 372 59 176 44 78 1 2 2 4 8 0 0 0
2009 July 2010 June 1,531 1,531 588 245 377 36 148 33 79 2 1 0 17 5 0 0 0
2008 July 2009 June 1,405 1,405 533 217 351 41 111 31 78 4 0 4 24 11 0 0 0
2007 July 2008 June 1,511 1,511 625 185 394 31 148 28 71 3 7 1 10 8 0 0 0
2006 July 2007 June 1,652 1,652 645 250 433 33 148 23 94 1 1 3 4 17 0 0 0
2005 July 2006 June 1,631 1,631 644 237 436 40 125 43 70 8 3 0 14 11 0 0 0
2004 July 2005 June 1,555 1,555 643 239 358 40 127 36 74 6 2 1 17 12 0 0 0
2003 July 2004 June 1,464 1,464 622 188 338 49 128 41 62 7 3 4 13 9 0 0 0
2002 July 2003 June 1,362 1,362 530 178 367 33 139 31 50 16 4 1 5 8 0 0 0
2001 July 2002 June 1,308 1,308 559 143 373 21 96 36 50 11 5 1 8 5 0 0 0
2000 July 2001 June 1,308 1,308 590 152 316 30 108 31 41 7 7 3 12 11 0 0 0
1999 July 2000 June 1,250 1,250 601 132 271 18 109 51 33 7 7 2 7 12 0 0 0
1998 July 1999 June 1,192 1,192 533 106 240 18 126 52 34 16 9 3 30 25 0 0 0
1997 July 1998 June 1,171 1,171 601 139 160 11 133 41 43 7 6 5 8 17 0 0 0

Group = Length of stay is greater than 2 years

From To Number of Children # of children who left custody/pa 01 : Reunification with parents/primary caretakers 02 : Guardianship with a relative 03 : Adoption 04 : Guardianship with other court approved caretaker 05 : Custody with non-removal parent/relative 06 : Custody with other court approved caretaker 07 : Emancipation 08 : Transfer to another agency 09 : Runaway 10 : Death of child 11 : Interstate compact placement agreement with another state was terminated 12 : Authority revoked for reasons other than above Exit type not reported 14 : Child chose to terminate their CARS agreement 15 : Termination of voluntary placement agreement for Extended Foster Care Services (FC to 21)
2024 July 2025 June 290 11 1 2 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
2023 July 2024 June 1,688 444 91 42 182 31 16 16 21 0 0 0 0 1 36 0 3
2022 July 2023 June 1,673 1,025 167 105 509 57 38 17 53 0 3 5 0 1 59 0 5
2021 July 2022 June 1,598 1,269 199 107 692 84 41 11 41 1 0 2 0 4 51 0 27
2020 July 2021 June 1,757 1,559 287 131 807 65 54 27 78 0 3 2 2 3 48 0 41
2019 July 2020 June 1,663 1,538 257 132 792 80 69 23 84 0 1 1 2 3 31 0 52
2018 July 2019 June 1,923 1,805 342 137 975 71 55 22 91 0 3 4 0 4 23 0 70
2017 July 2018 June 1,743 1,672 321 84 857 89 57 22 98 1 3 2 1 8 18 0 104
2016 July 2017 June 1,947 1,891 281 95 1,122 71 36 21 110 1 3 1 3 7 18 0 118
2015 July 2016 June 1,730 1,697 298 93 916 75 52 14 90 5 2 1 0 4 29 1 115
2014 July 2015 June 1,608 1,588 211 87 907 67 52 14 105 4 4 2 0 6 12 2 115
2013 July 2014 June 1,682 1,667 238 85 948 53 55 9 146 1 1 2 0 7 10 2 109
2012 July 2013 June 1,467 1,454 212 80 793 27 54 13 146 3 1 1 3 11 8 8 93
2011 July 2012 June 1,329 1,327 178 60 762 23 50 20 169 2 4 0 1 7 4 0 47
2010 July 2011 June 1,190 1,188 187 40 694 19 36 13 143 0 4 1 3 6 7 3 31
2009 July 2010 June 1,163 1,163 181 48 618 27 35 13 183 3 7 0 2 9 4 5 28
2008 July 2009 June 1,321 1,321 183 69 763 31 35 7 197 2 3 0 5 10 3 2 11
2007 July 2008 June 1,271 1,271 204 52 696 22 33 7 214 2 6 2 1 18 0 4 10
2006 July 2007 June 1,611 1,611 256 67 890 28 52 15 254 2 7 5 6 16 5 0 8
2005 July 2006 June 1,687 1,687 265 84 934 37 40 8 261 4 8 2 6 28 0 4 6
2004 July 2005 June 1,668 1,668 283 82 871 35 37 19 266 4 8 2 15 39 1 2 4
2003 July 2004 June 1,524 1,524 242 104 769 32 48 8 255 7 12 1 7 33 4 1 1
2002 July 2003 June 1,354 1,354 226 63 732 25 40 10 205 4 11 0 10 24 3 0 1
2001 July 2002 June 1,311 1,311 244 61 683 28 36 15 196 6 8 2 12 20 0 0 0
2000 July 2001 June 1,194 1,194 196 61 638 16 31 11 195 6 7 2 10 20 0 0 1
1999 July 2000 June 1,299 1,299 253 52 657 25 45 21 181 5 16 1 12 31 0 0 0
1998 July 1999 June 1,409 1,409 300 54 708 24 42 20 200 3 12 2 15 29 0 0 0
1997 July 1998 June 1,565 1,565 308 54 786 19 72 17 217 5 13 2 34 38 0 0 0


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