III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 203 

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 the foster care system. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 26, 2011 

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. FRANKEN, 

Mr. CARDIN, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. COCHRAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. 

KERRY, Mr. INHOFE, Ms. SNOWE, and Mr. CASEY) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

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 policy to improve the lives of children in 

the foster care system. 

Whereas ‘‘National Foster Care Month’’ was established 

more than 20 years ago to bring foster care issues to the 

forefront, to highlight the importance of permanency for 

every child, and to recognize the essential role that foster 

parents, social workers, and advocates have in the lives 

of children in foster care throughout the United States; 


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•SRES 203 ATS 

Whereas all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent 

home; 

Whereas the primary goal of the foster care system is to ensure the safety and well-being of children while working 

to provide a safe, loving, and permanent home for each 

child; 

Whereas there are approximately 420,000 children living in 

foster care; 

Whereas there are 115,000 children in foster care awaiting 

adoption; 

Whereas 57,000 children are adopted out of foster care each 

year; 

Whereas children of color are more likely to stay in the foster 

care system for longer periods of time and are less likely 

to be reunited with their biological families; 

Whereas the number of available foster homes is declining, 

and there are only 2.8 foster homes for every 10 children 

in foster care; 

Whereas children entering foster care often confront the 

widespread misperception that children in foster care are 

disruptive, unruly, and dangerous, even though placement 

in foster care is based on the actions of a parent or 

guardian, not the child; 

Whereas foster care is intended to be a temporary placement, 

but children remain in the foster care system for an average of 2 years; 

Whereas children in foster care experience an average of 3 

different placements, which often leads to disruption of 

routines, and the need to change schools and move away 


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•SRES 203 ATS 

from siblings, extended families, and familiar surroundings; 

Whereas more than 29,000 youth ‘‘age out’’ of foster care 

without a legal permanent connection to an adult or family; 

Whereas the number of youth who ‘‘age out’’ of foster care 

has steadily increased for the past decade; 

Whereas children who ‘‘age out’’ of foster care lack the security or support of a biological or adoptive family and frequently struggle to secure affordable housing, obtain 

health insurance, pursue higher education, and acquire 

adequate employment; 

Whereas on average, 8.5 percent of the positions in child protective services remain vacant; 

Whereas due to heavy caseloads and limited resources, the 

average tenure for a worker in child protection services 

is just 3 years; 

Whereas States, localities, and communities should be encouraged to invest resources in preventative and reunification 

services and post-permanency programs to ensure that 

more children in foster care are provided with safe, loving, and permanent placements; 

Whereas the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351; 122 

Stat. 3949) provides for new investments and services to 

improve the outcomes of children and families in the foster care system; and 

Whereas much remains to be done to ensure that all children 

have a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family, regardless of age or special needs: Now, therefore, be it 


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•SRES 203 ATS 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes ‘‘National Foster Care Month’’ 

3 as an opportunity to raise awareness about the chal4 lenges that children in the foster care system face; 

5 (2) encourages Congress to implement policy to 

6 improve the lives of children in the foster care sys7 tem; 

8 (3) supports the designation of May as ‘‘Na9 tional Foster Care Month’’; 

10 (4) acknowledges the special needs of children 

11 in the foster care system; 

12 (5) honors the commitment and dedication of 

13 the individuals who work tirelessly to provide assist14 ance and services to children in the foster care sys15 tem; and 

16 (6) reaffirms the need to continue working to 

17 improve the outcomes of all children in the foster 

18 care system through title IV of the Social Security 

19 Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and other programs de20 signed to help children in the foster care system re21 unite with their biological parents or, if the children 

22 cannot be reunited with their biological parents, find 

23 permanent, safe, and loving homes. 

Æ 


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