Under what circumstances does a child become "custody of the state"?

Under what circumstances does a child become "custody of the state"?

Jennifer Perry (Executive Director, Children's Action Network) gives expert video advice on: Under what circumstances does a child become "custody of the state"?; Are foster parents the same as adoptive parents?; What happens to children who aren't adopted? and more...

A child becomes custody of the state when it has been determined that leaving this child in their biological home poses a danger and a risk to the child. So they're removed from that home and placed in foster care. Being placed in foster care means they can live with foster parents and/or a group home that will take over the care of that child until it has been determined what the next step is. The dangers that a child would face that could lead to their removal from their biological home include neglect, the child may not be in school, the child may not be given adequate clothing and/or food and oftentimes it results from a parent who is engaged in drug abuse and is therefore neglecting their parental duties. In some instances a child ends up in foster care because one or both of the parents are incarcerated and physically unable to take care of the child. There's a variety of reasons that a child may end up in foster care.