Roughly 20,000 children in the US age out of foster care each year without ever being adopted. This means they become legal adults without finding a permanent family through adoption.
Here's a breakdown:
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Aging Out: The term "aging out" refers to children in foster care who reach the age of majority (typically 18, but sometimes older depending on the state) and are no longer eligible for foster care services.
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Lack of Permanent Families: These children, unfortunately, do not find adoptive families during their time in foster care.
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Annual Estimate: While the exact number can fluctuate, around 20,000 children experience this each year.
