How to count foster children in the census

2020 is a census year, that means sometime, probably in the month of April, you’ll respond to questions about how many people live in your house. For most families, this question is pretty straightforward. But foster parents might wonder how they should respond.

Fortunately, the Census Bureau publishes a lot of guidance for how to handle every situation you could imagine. And specifically regarding young children, the Census Bureau say the following:

Counting Young Children

It is important to remember to count any children who are living with you. This includes:

• All children who live in your home, including foster children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and the children of friends (even if they are living with you temporarily).

• Children who split their time between homes, if they are living with you on April 1, 2020.

• Newborn babies, even those who are born on April 1, 2020, or who are still in the hospital on this date.