Child Welfare Outcomes

Children's Bureau research on child welfare issues includes a series of annual Child Welfare Outcomes Reports to Congress. These reports include data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) and the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS).

Child Welfare Outcomes Reports and Data Site

This series of reports is required by section 203(a) of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA). ASFA amended section 479A of the Social Security Act to require an annual report that assesses state performance in operating child protection and child welfare programs under titles IV-B and IV-E. State context and outcomes data associated with this report can be accessed on the Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data Site.

Child Welfare Outcomes Reports

This series of reports is required by section 203(a) of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA). ASFA amended section 479A of the Social Security Act to require an annual report that assesses state performance in operating child protection and child welfare programs under titles IV-B and IV-E.

2016 Contents | Executive Summary Brochure
2015 Contents | Executive Summary Brochure
2010-2014 Contents | Executive Summary Brochure
2010-2013 Contents | Executive Summary Brochure
2009-2012 Contents | Executive Summary Brochure
2008-2011 Contents | Executive Summary Brochure
2007-2010 | Executive Summary Brochure
2006-2009 | Executive Summary Brochure
2004-2007 | Executive Summary Brochure
2003-2006
2002-2005
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998

A Report to Congress on States' Use of Waivers of Non-Safety Licensing Standards for Relative Foster Family Homes - This report describes states' data on the number of children in foster care that were placed in relative foster family homes, a description and assessment of the types of non-safety licensing standards waived, and states' strategies for increasing licensing among relative caregivers.

Legislative Brief: Child Welfare Caseworker Visits with Children and Parents - This document presents background information about caseworker visits, including the elements that support quality visits. It also offers questions that legislators and their staff can use to facilitate a dialogue about caseworker visits with their child welfare agency administrators.

State Child Welfare Legislation: 2005 - This document describes some of the state legislation related to child welfare issues that were enacted during calendar year 2005. It includes citations and summaries of specific child-welfare-related laws in each state.

Focusing on Child Welfare Systems: Collaborating With State Legislators on Reform - This report offers state child welfare agency administrators information on effective strategies for using the child and family services reviews (CFSRs) to work more closely with legislators to improve child welfare systems. This report covers the importance of legislative engagement in child welfare and strategies for building partnerships with state legislators and engaging them in the reviews.

Focusing on Child Welfare Systems: The Role of State Legislators - This report offers legislators information on using the CFSRs to enhance their role in supporting state child welfare agency administrators in creating effective child welfare policies and practices. The reports discuss the CFSRs as a resource for legislators and offer strategies that legislators can use to become involved in the reviews. The report is also available in a three-page brief format.

Comprehensive Family Assessment Guidelines for Child Welfare - These guidelines address the components of comprehensive family assessment, show the linkages to service planning and service provision, and illustrate how child welfare agencies can support their use. These guidelines are provided as an initial framework to facilitate efforts to move the child welfare community toward comprehensive assessment as a best practice.

Section 11. Child Protection, Foster Care, and Adoption Assistance (2008 Green Book) - The Background Material and Data on the Programs within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means, informally known as the Green Book, provides program descriptions and historical data on a wide variety of social and economic topics. This section focuses on child welfare.

Progress Report to Congress on Conducting A Study of Performance-Based Financial Incentives in Child Welfare - This report presents issues relevant to the development of outcome measures and performance-based incentives as mandated by ASFA.