Publisher's Synopsis
In 2002, more than 530,000 children lived in foster care across the Nation. By 2011, that number dropped by more than 27 percent to just over 400,000. In 2008, Congress passed the Fostering Connections Act. This legislation helped connect children with families. In 2011, Congress went one step further. It passed the Child and Family Services Innovation and Improvement Act. This law gave States more flexibility and the opportunity for innovation in child welfare by easing Federal restrictions. In exchange, States had to improve safety standards, prevent child abuse, and reduce foster care re-entry rates. The Child Welfare League of America reports that one quarter of former foster kids become homeless after aging out of foster care. Some foster kids are simply dropped off at a bus stop on their 18th birthday and left to fend for themselves. The law now considers them "adults." Nationwide more than 104,000 kids are waiting to be adopted. That is down from more than 130,000 kids in 2007. Federal Adoption Incentive Grants, which reward States for increasing adoption rates, can help reduce these numbers further.
