Data is collected at the end of the current report month. The report looks at CHINS children from CHINS cases that were open on the last day of the report month. It also collects where that child is located (in their own home or in substitute care). For the purpose of this report, a child with a non-custodial parent is considered ³ in home. 
Total CHINS (Child in Need of Services) Count is the number of children that have an open CHINS case on the last day of the report month.

https://www.in.gov/dcs/files/PI_CHINS_Placements_3-22.pdf   Last accessed 11 July 2022

Foster care regardless of open CHINS cases:

The number of kids in Indiana foster care decreased in recent years, according to a new report from the Indiana Youth Institute, which shows a 20 percent drop in the number of children in the system between 2018 and 2020.

After increasing at one of the highest rates in the country between 2012 and 2018, the number of kids in foster care in Indiana decreased in 2018 to 2022.

https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/indiana-kids-foster-care-racial-disparities Last accessed 11 July 2022

Indiana Youth Institute President and CEO Tami Silverman said there could be multiple reasons the number has dipped. For example, schools closed for in-person learning in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of that it’s possible fewer children were identified as needing support.

Also, in 2018, Gov. Eric Holcomb requested an independent audit of the Department of Children Services. And that led to a 2019 law to provide more support of in-home placement for children, efforts to address the turnover rate for family case managers and other changes.

The 2018 Federal Family First Prevention Services Act, provided more funding toward mental health services, substance abuse support and other services.

https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/indiana-kids-foster-care-racial-disparities Last accessed 11 July 2022

Please see graph at above website for # children in fostercare per year.

Despite fewer children in foster care, racial disparities persist, and child advocates remain concerned about how social workers are recommending children be placed in the system.

In 2020, 18 percent of Hoosier children in foster care were Black, even though Black kids only make up about 11 percent of the state’s population. That’s compared to almost 72 percent of kids in foster care who are White, while White children make up nearly 75 percent of the population.

https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/indiana-kids-foster-care-racial-disparities Last accessed 11 July 2022

https://www.in.gov/dcs/data/   (Total children in need of services dashboard) Last accessed 05/10/2023

https://www.in.gov/dcs/reports-and-statistics/practice-indicator-reports/

https://www.in.gov/dcs/files/PI_CHINS_Placements_3-22.pdf