III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 462 

Recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness 

about the challenges faced by children in the foster care system, acknowledging the dedication of foster care parents, advocates, and workers, 

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 16, 2012 

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself and Mr. GRASSLEY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity 

to raise awareness about the challenges faced by children 

in the foster care system, acknowledging the dedication 

of foster care parents, advocates, and workers, 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, highlight the importance of permanency for every 

child, and 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 462 IS 

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 408,000 children living in 

foster care; 

Whereas there were approximately 254,000 youth that entered the foster care system in 2010, while over 107,000 

youth were eligible and awaiting adoption at the end of 

2010; 

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 

from siblings, extended families, and familiar surroundings; 

Whereas youth in foster care are much more likely to face 

educational instability with 65 percent of former foster 

children experiencing at least 7 school changes while in 

care; 

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 foster parents are the front-line caregivers for children who cannot safely remain with their biological parents and provide physical care, emotional support, education advocacy, and are the largest single source of families providing permanent homes for children leaving foster care to adoption; 


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•SRES 462 IS 

Whereas children in foster care who are placed with relatives, 

compared to children placed with nonrelatives, have more 

stability, including fewer changes in placements, have 

more positive perceptions of their placements, are more 

likely to be placed with their siblings, and demonstrate 

fewer behavioral problems; 

Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and reunification services is necessary to reduce the number of children that are forced to remain in the foster care system; 

Whereas more than 27,900 youth ‘‘age out’’ of foster care 

without a legal permanent connection to an adult or family; 

Whereas children who age out of foster care may 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 foster care is intended to be a temporary placement, 

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

Whereas volunteers, guardians, mentors, and workers in the 

child-protective-services community play a vital role in 

improving the safety of the most valuable youth and work 

hard to increase permanency through reunification, adoption, and guardianship; 

Whereas due to heavy caseloads and limited resources, the 

average tenure for a worker in child protection services 

is just 3 years; 

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


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•SRES 462 IS 

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

services and postpermanency programs to ensure that 

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

Whereas Federal legislation over the past 3 decades, including the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 

1980 (Public Law 96–272), the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–89), the Fostering 

Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 

2008 (Public Law 110–351), and the Child and Family 

Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Public Law 

112–34) provided new investments and services to improve the outcomes of children in the foster care system; 

Whereas May is an appropriate month to designate as National Foster Care Month to provide an opportunity to 

acknowledge the child-welfare workforce, foster parents, 

advocacy community, and mentors for their dedication, 

accomplishments, and positive impact they have on the 

lives of children; 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes National Foster Care Month as 

3 an opportunity to raise awareness about the chal4 lenges faced by children in the foster care system, 

5 acknowledging the dedication of foster care parents, 

6 advocates, and workers, and encouraging Congress 


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•SRES 462 IS 

1 to implement policy to improve the lives of children 

2 in the foster care system; 

3 (2) encourages Congress to implement policy to 

4 improve the lives of children in the foster care sys5 tem; 

6 (3) supports the designation of May as National 

7 Foster Care Month; 

8 (4) acknowledges the special needs of children 

9 in the foster care system; 

10 (5) recognizes foster youth throughout the 

11 United States for their ongoing tenacity, courage, 

12 and resilience while facing life challenges; 

13 (6) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the 

14 foster care system who serve as advocates and role 

15 models for youth who remain in care; 

16 (7) honors the commitment and dedication of 

17 the individuals who work tirelessly to provide assist18 ance and services to children in the foster care sys19 tem; and 

20 (8) reaffirms the need to continue working to 

21 improve the outcomes of all children in the foster 

22 care system through parts B and E of title IV of the 

23 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and 

24 other programs designed to— 

25 (A) support vulnerable families; 


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•SRES 462 IS 

1 (B) invest in prevention and reunification 

2 services; 

3 (C) promote adoption and guardianship in 

4 cases where reunification is not in the best in5 terests of the child; 

6 (D) adequately serve those children 

7 brought into the foster care system; and 

8 (E) facilitate the successful transition into 

9 adulthood for children that ‘‘age out’’ of the 

10 foster care system. 

Æ 


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