Fostering Connections Kinship Federal Legislation 2008

Generations United kindly broke down what the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 means for grandparents and other relatives raising children. Here is what they have to say:

The bill will promote permanent families for children by providing:

• Authorizes subsidized guardianship to enable children in the care of grandparents and other relatives to exit foster care into permanency
• Establishes Kinship navigator programs to help link relative caregivers both inside and outside of the formal child welfare system to a broad range of services and supports that will help them meet the needs of the children in their care
• Requires notice be given to adult relatives of a child if he or she is placed in foster care
• Allows states in a demonstration program the option to set separate licensing standards for relative foster parents and non-relative foster parents

The bill also supports children and families by:

• Extending direct Title IV-E funding to tribal governments
• Reauthorizing the Adoption Incentives Program, a critical tool in helping children become adopted.
• Allowing states to receive federal reimbursement for support provided to foster youth up to age 21
• Requiring reasonable efforts to keep siblings together

If you are interested in finding out more information about this bill, please visit Generations United’s website at http://www.gu.org.

Copyright (2008), Generations United. Reprinted with permission of Generations United (http://www.gu.org).