Recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in, or at risk of entering, the foster care system.
Impact
According to the resolution, there were approximately 369,000 children living in foster care in 2022, with many entering and waiting for adoption without stable connections to family or community. It emphasizes the need for permanency for children in the system and recognizes that children of color face greater challenges, including longer stays in foster care and lower rates of reunification with biological families. By bringing forward this resolution, Congress aims to highlight these disparities and the urgent need for reform.
Summary
House Resolution 390 recognizes National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by children in the foster care system. The resolution not only seeks to acknowledge the efforts of foster parents, social workers, and advocates but also calls upon Congress to implement policies that improve the lives of children currently in or at risk of entering the system. The model of support foster care is based on the premise that all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent family environment.
Contention
While the resolution is largely supportive of the foster care system, it acknowledges that more effort is needed to improve outcomes for all children involved. Notable points of contention could arise regarding the resources allocated to foster care services, the effectiveness of current policies in achieving permanency, and the specific measures Congress should take to address the need for enhanced preventative and support services for families at risk. Additionally, the focus on educational stability and emotional support for foster children promises to foster further debates on implementation and funding.
Call_to_action
The resolution encourages states and localities to invest in preventive and postpermanency services, which are essential for providing stable and loving homes for children in foster care. This reinforces the role of community involvement in addressing the systemic issues within the welfare system, advocating for better outcomes not just for children, but for families as well.
Related
A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system, and encouraging Congress to implement policies to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.
A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system, and encouraging Congress to implement policies to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.
Expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.
Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025This bill requires state plans for child welfare services to provide for the development and implementation of a family partnership plan to improve foster care placement stability, increase rates of kinship placements, and align the composition of foster and adoptive families with the needs of children in or entering foster care.The Children's Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families also must include in its annual report information from states about the number, demographics, and characteristics of foster and adoptive families as well as a summary of the challenges related to recruiting and being foster or adoptive parents.
A resolution designating November 22, 2025, as National Adoption Day and November 2025 as National Adoption Month to promote national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.
Children: foster care; department to use or conserve benefits for children in foster care in the best interests of the children in foster care; provide. Amends 1994 PA 203 (MCL 722.951 - 722.960) by adding sec. 8f.