Children and youth in foster care are best supported through a continuum of care that provides ongoing services from entry to exit. The goal of this approach is to use the most appropriate and least restrictive interventions, both in or out of the home, while ensuring that safety issues and needs are addressed. Find information and resources about the multiple services included in a continuum of care.
Child Welfare Policy Brief: Developing a Robust Continuum of Care to Support Foster Youth in Family-Based Settings (PDF - 854 KB)
California Child Advocates for Change (2016)
Provides guidelines for the Federal government to support States in their effort to reduce congregate care, based on experiences in California.
The Continuum of Care
Better Care Network
Lists a variety of research articles on the range of continuum of care, including foster care, kinship care, guardianship, and community-based care mechanisms.
The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
National Conference of State Legislatures (2016)
Outlines the Federal law's improvements to the foster care system.
Services and Planning for Permanency and Transition
Juvenile Law Center
Outlines the ways Juvenile Law Center is working to improve transition and permanency services for older youth in care.
Taking a Break: Creating Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Respite Care in Your Community
AdoptUSKids (2013)
Provides information for parent group leaders and leaders of public agencies on how to partner with each other to develop respite care programs in their community to benefit children, youth, and families involved in adoption, foster care, and kindship care, including options to ensure a continuum of care.