Fostering Connections
What is Fostering Connections?
Fostering Connections is a DFPS initiative to improve permanent placement options for children in state care.
Why was it Initiated?
This initiative was developed in response to federal and supporting state legislation. A federal act, Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (H.R. 6893/PL 110-351), signed into law October 7, 2008, significantly overhauls the federal child welfare structure. This is a fundamental shift in child welfare that recognizes that:
- Foster care is not a viable long-term solution.
- Adoption is not an option for everyone.
- Increased focus on relatives.
- Older children in foster care need help.
The federal law requires Texas to:
- Provide written notification to maternal and paternal grandparents and other adult relatives regarding a child’s removal and placement in state custody and support options.
- Report certain data to the federal government, including:
- Statistics on children placed in both verified relative foster homes and unlicensed kinship placements.
- Information on the licensing standards waived, varied, or denied for relative foster homes, including an assessment on how waiving standards has affected children's well-being.
- Reasons relative foster family homes may not be verified.
- Actions Texas plans to take and suggestions Texas has to increase the number of relative foster family homes.
- Ensure youth aging out of state care have a Transition Plan developed within 90 days of turning 18 or the date leaving CPS extended foster care.
- Seek to have education stability for children in DFPS custody.
- Have a health oversight and coordination plan.
- Keep siblings in custody placed together. If this is not possible, the state must provide for frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between the siblings, unless the State shows frequent visits or other interaction would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the siblings.
- Make eligibility changes for the Title IV-E adoption assistance program to promote adoption of children with special needs.
- Provide information about Adoption Tax Credits during training for adoptive parents.
- Submit State Plan assurances that these actions are required in policy.
The federal law allows and the Texas Legislature supported:
- Establishing a relative guardianship subsidy program. For Texas, this will be a subsidy program for relatives taking permanent managing conservatorship of a child. The Permanency Care Assistance program is intended to provide an additional option for children and youth who might otherwise remain in foster care. It is not intended to be a long term foster care program.
- Allowing youth aging out of care to stay in foster care for a variety of reasons until they turn 21.
- Applying for grants that are available to help implement parts of the Fostering Connections legislation.
- Authorizing federally recognized tribes to apply for IV-E funding directly.
DFPS Response
The Department has established an initiative to implement the federally required elements of the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (H.R. 6893/PL 110-351) and the supporting Texas legislation that was passed in the 81st legislative session.
More information about DFPS response.
Additional Information
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