Public Policy

May 14, 2009, FORT LAUDERDALE – Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation that benefits children in foster care as well as young people leaving foster care. Senate Bill 126 provides children in foster care better access to their own personal... Read more

On September 15th, U.S. Congressional Representatives met to review the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoption Act of 2008. They wanted to hear from the perspective of a smart and successful young person from foster... Read more

Should young people in foster care have the right to access their own records? Who should be responsible for making sure they get copies of critical documents like their birth certificate or social security card? Check out this recent article from... Read more

VICTORY FOR ARKANSAS!!! Today Governor Mike Beebe signed Senate Bill 359. This isn't any bill - it's entitled "An Act To Create The Arkansas Foster Youth Transitional Plan" This bill say's that, by law, foster children entering care at or by the age... Read more

February 11, 2009, Washington, DC —- The statistics are sobering. Forty percent of foster youth in Alaska end up homeless after leaving foster care. The foster youth high school drop out rate is twice as high as that of their peers in stable homes,... Read more

In most states, relatives and others who become permanent, legal guardians for a child in foster care lose federal financial assistance and services once the child exits foster care (as opposed to most foster placements and many adoptions, which... Read more

Although foster care is an important safety net for some children, it was intended to be a temporary arrangement. Children have a better opportunity for growing and developing when they are living with a safe family on a permanent basis. Reunifying... Read more

Nationally, American Indian/Alaskan Native children are overrepresented in foster care–at more than 1.6 times the expected level – and are over represented among the children in foster care who are awaiting adoption – at two to four times the... Read more

The vast majority of dedicated federal funding for child welfare is currently reserved for supporting children in foster care placements and cannot be used for prevention services or other supports for children after they leave foster care. States,... Read more

Kids Are Waiting Statement in Support of the Senate Finance Committee's Approval of Chairman's Mark to the Improved Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act September 10, 2008 Today the Senate Finance Committee took an important... Read more