H. Res. 391 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

May 6, 2009. 

Whereas on average, the Nation’s foster care system provides 

for more than a half a million children each day who are 

unable to live safely with their biological parents; 

Whereas National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity to recognize the important role that foster care 

parents, workers, and advocates have in the lives of children in the foster care system throughout the United 

States; 

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

to provide such children with a permanent, safe, and loving home; 

Whereas foster parents give children the opportunity to live 

with families and make lasting attachments instead of 

living in institutions, where they face a reduced chance 

for permanency; 

Whereas States, localities, and communities should be encouraged to invest available resources on reunification services and post-permanency supports designed to allow 

more children in the foster care system to safely return 

to their biological parents, or find permanent placements 

through adoption or guardianship; 
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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 293,000 children entered the foster care system during fiscal year 2007; 

Whereas in fiscal year 2007, there was an average of 131,000 

children in the foster care system each day who were 

waiting to be adopted; 

Whereas while a majority of children in the foster care system have the goal of being reunited with their biological 

parents, more than 23 percent of children who were in 

the foster care system on the last day of fiscal year 2007 

were seeking placement through the adoption process; 

Whereas the overall reduction in the number of children in 

the foster care system in the last decade does not reflect 

a decline in the level of Federal assistance necessary to 

assist those living in foster care and the dedicated men 

and women in the child welfare workforce; 

Whereas the number of children ‘‘aging out’’ of the foster 

care system without finding a permanent family increased 

to an all-time high of nearly 28,000 in fiscal year 2007; 

Whereas children ‘‘aging out’’ of the foster care system lack 

the security of a biological or adoptive family to fall back 

on when struggling to secure affordable housing, obtain 

health insurance, pursue higher education, and acquire 

adequate employment; 

Whereas the foster care system is intended to be a temporary 

solution, however, on average, children remain in the system for at least 2 years; 

Whereas studies suggest that nearly 60 percent of children in 

the foster care system experience a chronic medical con-
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dition and 25 percent suffer from 3 or more chronic medical conditions; 

Whereas while in the foster care system, children experience 

an average of 3 different placements, moves that often 

mean disrupting routines, changing schools, and moving 

away from brothers and sisters, extended family, and familiar surroundings; 

Whereas the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–351) provided new investments and services to improve the outcomes of children and families in the foster care system; 

and 

Whereas all children deserve a loving and stable family, regardless of age or special needs: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) supports the designation of a ‘‘National Foster 

Care Month’’; 

(2) acknowledges the needs of children in the foster 

care system; 

(3) honors the commitment and dedication of those 

individuals who work tirelessly to provide assistance and 

services to children in the foster care system; and 

(4) recognizes the need to continue work to improve 

outcomes of all children in the foster care system 

through the title IV program in the Social Security Act 

and other programs that are designed to help children 

in the foster care system reunite with their biological 

parents and, when children are unable to return to their 
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biological parents, to find them a permanent, safe, and 

loving home. 

Attest: 

Clerk.