Foster Care

Through the title IV-E Foster Care program, the Children’s Bureau supports states (plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) provide board and care payments for eligible children who are under the supervision of the state and placed in foster family homes or childcare institutions that are safe and licensed. The program is authorized by title IV-E of the Social Security Act, as amended, and implemented under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 45 CFR parts 1355, 1356, and 1357. The program’s focus is children who are eligible under the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children program and who were removed from their homes as the result of maltreatment, lack of care, or lack of supervision.

Foster Care Programs

CB provides funding to states and tribes to provide safe foster care placements for children and youth who cannot remain in their homes. Our funding also provides optional guardianship assistance for states, as well as assistance to youth aging out of foster care so that they can achieve self-sufficiency.

The Children’s Bureau implements the following foster care programs:

• The Title IV - E Foster Care Program
• The John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)

Foster Care Reporting Systems

The Children’s Bureau collects case-level information from states on all children in foster care, and we recently began collecting information on youth in foster care and those who age out of care.

See the following for more information about our reporting systems:

• The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)
• The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)

Foster Care Training and Technical Assistance

Through our Training and Technical Assistance Network, we provide assistance to states and tribes to establish permanency for all children and youth. 

Our foster care training and technical assistance resources include the following:

• The National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections
• The National Resource Center for Youth Development

Foster Care Highlight

Trends in Foster Care, a report based on AFCARS data, shows that the number of children in foster care has dropped from 523,000 in 2002 to 401,000 in 2011. To see the most recent AFCARS data, refer to AFCARS Report #19 (Preliminary Estimates for FY 2011) - Updated July 2012

Findyouthinfo.gov provides interactive tools and other resources to help youth-serving organizations and community partnerships plan, implement, and participate in effective programs for youth.