Report finds more Nebraskans are aging out of foster care

A new report from the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office found the percentage of children aging out of foster care has nearly doubled in the past 10 years. In 2015, only 5% aged out, but in 2025, that number has risen to 9.3%.

Aging out occurs when individuals turn 19 while in state care without being reunified with their parents or reaching any other type of permanency, such as adoption, guardianship or living with a relative.

Nearly a quarter of young people who age out experience homelessness within four years, according to the Foster Care Review Office. They are also at a higher risk of mental health challenges and employment instability.

Meanwhile, the percentage of children reunified with their parents is down to 45.5%, well below the 61% of children who returned home a decade ago.

Monika Gross, executive director of the Foster Care Review Office, said the overall number of children in out-of-home care has been decreasing as more children and families are being served in their own homes. She said that’s due in part to federal changes that allow federal funding to be used for in-home services.

“What we’re seeing then is the children and families that are currently in out-of-home care maybe have more issues to resolve or to address, or just have more complex needs, and so it’s more difficult to reunify,” Gross said.

A separate annual report found that parental substance abuse is responsible for around half of children being removed from in-home care.

“I'm not sure what's happening across the state to prevent substance abuse, but clearly I think it's impacting the children of the state, and more needs to be done,” Gross said.

Gross also recommended the state take steps to address the disproportionate rates of children of color in the child welfare system.