This indicator represents the number of child clients in care in Utah by year.

DCFS strives to serve children and families in their homes whenever safely possible. When this is not possible, children and youth may enter into foster care. Every child deserves safety, stability, and permanency. DCFS strives to reunify children with their families as quickly as possible or find alternate options for permanency, like adoption or custody and guardianship, when children cannot safely return home. 

DCFS has seen a steady decline on this indicator over the past several years, from 4,405 children in calendar year 2019 to 2,752 children in calendar year 2025. Some factors influencing this trend include efforts to reduce foster care entry by providing in-home services, starting evidence-based interventions for families as early as possible, and using specialized recruiters to conduct intensive, individualized recruitment for children who are at higher risk of leaving foster care without a permanent family.