Provides a detailed analysis of the federal foster care framework and a discussion of policy recommendations for improving the foster care system. The Adoption and Safe Families Act significantly altered federal foster care policy by identifying when it is reasonable to pursue family reunification, expediting timelines for making permanency decisions, recognizing kinship as a permanency option, and providing incentives to states for increasing the number of adoptions. In addition, courts play an often overlooked role in achieving safety and permanency for foster children. The foster care system also is influenced by policymaking in such areas as welfare reform, immigration, health care, housing, taxation, and substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence. Recommendations for future policy reform include eliminating child poverty; improving quality of care; increasing accountability for children and families; and establishing new funding patterns to accomplish the goals of expanding services to keep children safely at home, expanding permanency options through subsidized guardianship programs, and making eligibility for federal foster care funding dependent on children?s risk of abuse or neglect rather than their parent’s financial status. Also includes a chronology of major legislation affecting child welfare.
