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Adoption subsidies are perhaps the single-most powerful tool by which the child welfare system can encourage adoption and support adoptive families. Yet little is known about the factors associated with the receipt and amount of subsidies. Data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) offer an opportunity to examine how states use adoption subsidies to help achieve goals of permanency and well-being for children. Of particular interest to this study are patterns of subsidy receipt, the role of federal support for adoption subsidies under Title IV-E, and the relationship between adoption subsidies and adoption outcomes, including the rate of adoptions among eligible children and the timeliness of adoption. Questions of interest include the extent and funding of subsidies; the relationship between children's characteristics, foster care experiences, and subsidy receipt and amount; and variations among states in subsidy practice. These analyses use AFCARS data representing all adoptions during the years FY 1999 to FY 2001. Findings indicate: 1) Nearly all children adopted from foster care in recent years received an adoption subsidy; 2) The median monthly adoption subsidy was $444 per month; 3) Among newly adopted children receiving subsidies, 84 percent received federal adoption assistance through Title IV-E; 4) Children's age and special needs status influenced subsidy receipt and amount; 5) Pre-adoptive relationship and other characteristics of adoptive families influenced children's subsidies; and 6) Analyses found some support for associations between subsidies and adoption outcomes. (Author abstract modified)

Provides families involved with the child welfare system an overview of the court process. This factsheet answers frequently asked questions about parental rights and offers suggestions on how to prepare for and respond to court proceedings. It also includes information on filing an appeal, a glossary of court terms, and recommended resources.

This study was designed to extend current understanding of foster parent retention by producing unbiased estimates of length of service and examining factors associated with licensure, provision of care, and length of service. The study used administrative data, applying data management and analytic methods that have been used to describe the length of stay for children in foster care. Principal research questions include: How have the characteristics of foster parents changed over time? How can variations in activity levels be described, and what foster parent characteristics are associated with varying activity levels? What is the typical length of service for foster parents? and What characteristics are associated with variations in length of foster parent careers? Child welfare agencies in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Oregon contributed data for these analyses. Three key findings indicate: 1) Length of service in foster parenting is shorter than many managers would expect. The median length of service of 8 to 14 months estimated with a longitudinal model for these states is a distinct contrast to the mean time in foster parenting of 5 to 8 years reported in earlier studies. In the three states studied, between 47 and 62 percent of foster parents exited foster parenting within a year of the first placement in their home. 2) Foster parent "burn-out" cannot be identified as a factor in length of service. Higher foster home occupancy and higher levels of care for infants, adolescents, and children with special needs were consistently associated with greater length of service. 3) One-fifth of the foster parent population provides 60 to 80 percent of all foster care. These foster parents may represent a core group of active and experienced foster parents, with whom child welfare workers feel most confident placing children. An appendix lists characteristics of licensed foster parents in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Oregon. (Author abstract modified)

This publication is intended for front line child welfare staff. It discusses the relationship of alcohol and drugs to families in the child welfare system; provides information on the biological, psychological, and social processes of alcohol and drug addiction to help staff recognize when substance abuse is a risk factor in their cases; describes strategies to facilitate and support alcohol and drug treatment and recovery; and explains the benefits of partnering with substance abuse treatment and dependency court systems to improve outcomes for children of parents with substance use disorders. (Author abstract)

Provides basic information on brain development and the effects of abuse and neglect on that development. The information is designed to help professionals understand the emotional, mental, and behavioral impact of early abuse and neglect in children who come to the attention of the child welfare system.

Provides an overview of state laws related to efforts to curtail the practice of some adoptive parents placing their adopted children into the custody of unrelated persons without the oversight of a child welfare agency or court. Such transfers put a child at risk of abuse, neglect, emotional trauma, and placement instability. States are utilizing a variety of approaches to curb the practice, including criminalizing the act, placing limits on delegating parental authority through the use of power of attorney, and restricting the use of advertising to find placements for a child. Summaries of laws for all states and U.S. territories are included.

Discusses States laws that permit, regulate, or prohibit the use of advertising or facilitators in private or independent adoptions. Some adoptive parents choose to advertise their interest in adopting, while others may choose to utilize the services of adoption facilitators or intermediaries. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.