This measure represents the percentage of days children and youth in care are served in a residential setting. The goal for this measure is to decrease the number of days children and youth in care spend in a residential setting. While there are some instances when residential care is necessary based on a client's needs, DCFS strives to ensure children are moved to a home-based setting as soon as possible when residential care is needed. DCFS strives to serve children in their home or with kin whenever safely possible, and in a family-based foster care setting when children are not able to remain home or with kin.

Data is reported six weeks after the end of each quarter to allow time for data entry by direct service and support staff.

DCFS has seen an increase in children and youth in care with complex needs that require a higher level of care and have also experienced a decrease in proctor-level homes. This has resulted in an trend of increase in children and youth placed in residential placements, although the number did drop slightly in the last the last two quarters. DCFS is working to address the gap in moderate level placements that would provide a place for many of the youth in higher levels of care to step down to. DCFS is also coordinating with the Youth Provider Association to address the gap for proctor-level homes.