In 2022, 10,609 children and young people in Flanders were taken into foster care. That is an increase of 7% compared to the 9,914 foster children in 2021, according to figures from the Growing Up agency (Opgroeien).
Currently, foster care accounts for a third of the total number of children and young people who needed support from a youth welfare organisation in 2022 due to difficult home situations. Never before has Flanders had over 10,000 youth in foster care.
When a child or young person can temporarily no longer live at home, foster care is the first form of assistance to be considered in Flanders. The number of foster children has also been rising for years, from 6,534 in 2015 to 9,914 in 2021 and thus 10,609 in 2022.
Growing up in a family context
"The security of a foster home gives children the chance to grow up in a family context: that remains incredibly important when parents are temporarily unable to provide care," Niels Heselmans, spokesperson at Opgroeien, explained.
The figures revealed that last year, 2,085 children and young people started new care in a foster family and that for 1,579 children the foster process ended.
Foster care also remains an important link in wider youth support. "In total, 32,138 children and young people called on support from a youth aid organisation because of a difficult home situation," Heselmans said. "Of these, almost one in three children find a place in a foster family."
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Foster care is not just for children at a young age, as is shown by the notable increase in the 15-17 age group. There, the number of foster youth increased by 42% to 507. According to the agency, the rise can be explained in part by the reception of Ukrainian young people in foster care.
Flemish Minister of Welfare Hilde Crevits applauds the commitment of the growing number of foster parents, but acknowledges that the figure of 10,000 foster children gives her a "double feeling."
"On the one hand, pride and congratulations to all those who work and participate in foster care. On the other hand, it indicates that there is still work to be done to support parents to make things better for their children at home themselves," the minister said.
