May Is Foster Care Awareness Month

176272975_4222244907896984_4578938422775837321_n.png

Dedicated to all the children in the U.S. foster care system, May is National Foster Care Appreciation and Awareness Month.

STATS ABOUT NEW MEXICO FOSTER CARE:

  • There are approximately 2,300 children in foster care in New Mexico.

  • 70 of these children are currently waiting for an adoptive family.

  • NM currently ranks 50th / 50 for child well-being

  • Once in our New Mexico child welfare system, a child in foster care experiences an average of six (6) placement changes per year – each move a likely source of additional trauma.

  • 1 out of every 3 foster parents will relinquish their license within their first year

  • More than 26,000 grandparents in New Mexico are raising grandchildren

  • 1 / 23 newborns in NM is born drug-exposed

  • During transition to adulthood, 1 in 3 foster youth will experience homelessness

  • NM has more children with 4+ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) than any other state

  • There are more than 5,000 homeless youth in ABQ
    - 60% of all child sex trafficking victims have histories in the child welfare system

NM Child First