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Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)

HealthData.Gov

Updated Oct 29, 2026

About this dataset

The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) is a federally mandated data collection system intended to provide case specific information on all children covered by the protections of Title IV-B/E of the Social Security Act (Section 427). Under the Final 1993 AFCARS’ rule, states are required to collect and submit data on all children who are under the responsiblity of the title IV-B/IV-E agency for placement, care, or supervision. Units of Response: Children in Foster Care Type of Data: Administrative Tribal Data: Unavailable Periodicity: Semiannual Demographic Indicators: Disability;Geographic Areas;Sex SORN: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/14/2016-29366/adoption-and-foster-care-analysis-and-reporting-system Data Use Agreement: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/order_forms/termsofuseagreement.pdf Data Use Agreement Location: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/order_forms/termsofuseagreement.pdf Granularity: Individual Spatial: United States Geocoding: FIPS Code

Data and resources (16)

  • HTML

    AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2010A - 2016B)

    The AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A) contain 96 variables (73 original variables and 23 NDACAN-derived variables). Temporal: 2010-2016, Restriction: Restricted-use Micro, Formats: ASCII, DELIMITED, R, SAS, SPSS, STATA

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2010A - 2016B)
  • HTML

    AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2010A - 2016B)

    The AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A) contain 96 variables (73 original variables and 23 NDACAN-derived variables). Temporal: 2010-2016, Restriction: Restricted-use Micro, Formats: ASCII, DELIMITED, R, SAS, SPSS, STATA

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2010A - 2016B)
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2016

    The Adoption File 2016 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2016
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2016

    The Adoption File 2016 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2016
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2017

    The Adoption File 2017 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2017
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2017

    The Adoption File 2017 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2017
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2020

    The Adoption File 2020 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2020
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2020

    The Adoption File 2020 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2020
  • HTML

    AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A)

    The AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A) contain 96 variables (73 original variables and 23 NDACAN-derived variables). Temporal: 2016-2021, Restriction: Restricted-use Micro, Formats: ASCII, DELIMITED, R, SAS, SPSS, STATA

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A)
  • HTML

    AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A)

    The AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A) contain 96 variables (73 original variables and 23 NDACAN-derived variables). Temporal: 2016-2021, Restriction: Restricted-use Micro, Formats: ASCII, DELIMITED, R, SAS, SPSS, STATA

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: AFCARS Foster Care File, 6-month periods (FY2016A - 2021A)
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2019

    The Adoption File 2019 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2019
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2019

    The Adoption File 2019 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2019
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2018

    The Adoption File 2018 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Oct 29, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2018
  • HTML

    Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2018

    The Adoption File 2018 contains 37 elements that provide information on the adopted child’s race, birth date, ethnicity and prior relationship with the adoptive parents. The date the adoption was finalized, as well as dates parental rights were terminated, characteristics of birth and adoptive…

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Adoption File 2018
  • HTML

    Trends in Foster Care & Adoption: FY 2011- 2020 National Dataset

    This data file includes national estimates related to children who experience time in foster care and who are adopted from the foster care system, relative to each Federal Fiscal Year shown. Temporal: 2011-2020, Restriction: Public-use Aggregate, Formats: EXCEL

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Trends in Foster Care & Adoption: FY 2011- 2020 National Dataset
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    Trends in Foster Care & Adoption: FY 2011- 2020 State Data Tables

    This data file includes state estimates related to children who experience time in foster care and who are adopted from the foster care system, relative to each Federal Fiscal Year shown. Temporal: 2011-2020, Restriction: Public-use Aggregate, Formats: EXCEL

    Modified Aug 13, 2026

    Open link: Trends in Foster Care & Adoption: FY 2011- 2020 State Data Tables
Prototype by Datopian · not an official government website · data from data.virginia.gov