INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indiana’s foster care system has seen a sharp increase in both entries and total population from 2023 to 2024, running counter to the national trend of declining foster care numbers.
According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Indiana had nearly 12,000 children in foster care in 2024, a 13% increase over the previous year. During the same period, the national foster care population decreased by 3%.
More strikingly, new entries into foster care in Indiana surged by 30% year-over-year.
A Rebound After a Record Low
Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) Director Adam Krupp addressed the increase, saying 2023 was a historic low for the state—a number that, while encouraging on the surface, “generated a lot of questions.”…