Illinois CASA Statistics
- Illinois CASA supports 29 local programs serving in 85 of the 102 counties in Illinois.
- In FY25, 3,041 volunteers and staff partners advocated for the best interests of 9,907 children who have experienced abuse and neglect across the state.
- Of the 2,781 cases which closed, the number one permanency outcome for children with a CASA Volunteer was reunification with their family of origin. 1,388 children assigned a CASA returned to their home of origin in FY25 with only 0.07% re-entering foster care.
- Our goal is to ensure every child has access to a CASA volunteer by 2030. Join us by Becoming a CASA Volunteer.
Illinois Child Welfare Statistics
The Illinois Department of Children & Family Services believes that no child should grow up in foster care. We agree. We must work together to lift Illinois out of last place in the nation for achieving timely permanency, while keeping the safety of our children in the forefront of everything that we do. Your support will help to change these statistics about Illinois’ children.
| 2.47 Billion | FY26 Budget |
| 17,589 | Number of children and youth, age 0-21, in DCFS custody on 12/31/2025 |
| 227,126 | Hotline calls in FY25 |
| 78,097 | DCFS investigations conducted in FY25 |
| 117,323 | Child victims associated with investigations of abuse or neglect in FY25 |
| 4,100 | Number of children who entered foster care in FY25 |
| 4,300 | Number of families being served in FY25 in the preservation program keeping kids at home |
| 4,000 | DCFS employees FY25 end-of-year |
| 5,374 | Achieved permanency in 2024. The reunification rate was 18.4%; 9.9% for adoption; and 3.4% for guardianship. |
| 2,365 | Youth in Care between the ages of 18-21 in 2025 |
| 157 | Despite contact with DCFS, 157 Illinois children died in FY25 of abuse and neglect according to the Inspector General's Report. 5 of them with open/active cases. |
