Virginia has the highest percentage of children who leave the foster care system without a permanent family.

The study was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. It found that 21 percent of Virginia’s foster children aged out of the system in 2004 – more than 2 1/2 times the national rate of 8 percent.

The good news for Virginia, according to the Pew-Casey report, is that the state is among 12 where the rate of foster children aging out declined between 2000 and 2004. Also, the foster care population in Virginia increased by only 1.2 percent in 2004.

[Read](http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1149555 “Read the Story”) (AP via WTOP)