Federal laws and policies outline and provide guidance to States on the permanency planning requirements for children and youth served by child welfare agencies. The following resources address Federal laws that affect the permanency process in child welfare.
Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-89) (PDF - 266 KB)
Promotes timely permanency planning and placement for children in foster care and the importance of children's safety and well-being during the permanency process.
Child Welfare: The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (PDF - 205 KB)
Stoltzfus (2008)
Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service
Provides a section-by-section explanation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, which was designed to ensure greater permanence and improve the well-being of children served by public child welfare agencies.
Factors Affecting Permanency Outcomes for Foster Children Before and After Passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (PDF - 542 KB)
Townsend, Hignight, & Rubovits (2008)
Illinois Child Welfare, 4(1)
Examines the emotional and behavioral functioning and permanency outcomes of children placed in specialized foster care who left care before and after passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 (PDF - 24 KB)
Provides the text of the Act that protects the best interests and promotes the stability and security of Indian children and families.
Judicial Guide to Implementing the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (PL 110-351) (PDF - 703 KB)
Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center (2011)
Presents an overview of the Fostering Connections Act, outlines general judicial considerations for implementation, and provides questions to be asked from the bench to help ensure compliance with the law and best practice.