The Federal Role in Foster Care: A Paper on Current Priority Issue Areas

This report uses interviews with HHS staff, pertinent legislative committees, and children and youth advocacy organizations in order to express how each group would like to change the existing foster care system. Systemic and social factors currently challenging the foster care system are described including: the increase in substantiated child abuse cases, the breakdown of the child welfare system, drug abuse, AIDS, and family homelessness. Finally, the report presents a number of unresolved policy issues regarding foster care. [45 PDF pages]