Trends in the Separation of Siblings
in New York State Foster Care 2000-2002

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Total Planned for Separately		Total Photolisted	Percent of Photolisted
2000	264	881	30%
2001	209	642	33%
2002	186	493	38%

Despite the fact that fewer total children were planned for separately from their siblings each year between 2000 and 2002, a larger percentage of the children being photolisted each year was actually planned for separately. This means that the increasingly smaller total of children photolisted separately indicates only a decrease in the overall number of children listed, rather than any real progress towards placing siblings together. In fact, the results of this study indicate a worsening trend over the given years.  

Note: Each of the following comparisons includes the total number of children planned for separately in each category, as well as the percentage that total represents of all NYS photolisted children who were planned for separately in the given year.

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LOCATION:	Local Districts		Private/New York City		Private/Non - NYC
2000	173	66%	35	13%	56	21%
2001*	145	69%	35	17%	28	13%
2002	135	73%	28	15%	23	12%

Each year the most children planned for separately were photolisted by the local districts. In 2000, more children were planned for separately in the non-New York City private agencies than those private agencies from the New York City area. In 2001 and 2002, more children were planned for separately from the private agencies in the New York City area than from private agencies elsewhere in the state. Overall, New York City had considerably fewer separations than the rest of the state in all three years.

*Listing agency for one child is unknown

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SEX:	Male		Female
2000	164	62%	100	38%
2001	114	55%	95	45%
2002	117	63%	69	37%

Each year more males were planned for separately than females.

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RACE:	Caucasian		African-American		Interracial		Hispanic/Latino
2000*	119	45%	97	37%	28	11%	19	7%
2001	93	44%	79	38%	8	4%	29	14%
2002	88	47%	71	38%	14	8%	13	7%

With the exception of 2001, during which a larger percentage of Hispanic/Latino children were planned for separately from siblings than Interracial children, the most children planned for separately were Caucasian, followed by African-American, Interracial, and Hispanic/Latino.

*Plus one Native American Child

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AGE:	Age 0-3		Age 4-7		Age 8-11		Age 12-15		Age 16+
2000	7	3%	33	13%	104	39%	109	41%	11	4%
2001	5	2%	16	8%	53	25%	125	60%	10	5%
2002	2	1%	14	8%	55	30%	106	57%	9	5%

Each year the percentage of children planned for separately increased with age, reaching its highest percentage between ages 12 and 15. This was followed by a sharp decline at ages 16 and older.  

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STATUS:	Waiting		Placed		Withdrawn
2000	231	88%	31	12%	2	1%
2001	183	88%	21	10%	5	2%
2002	157	84%	23	12%	6	3%

Each year the vast majority of children photolisted separately from siblings had not been placed by the end of the year in which they had been listed or updated.

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