IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 242 
Recognizing May as ‘‘National Foster Care Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 3, 2011 
Ms. BASS of California (for herself and Mr. MCDERMOTT) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing May as ‘‘National Foster Care Month’’. 
Whereas on average, the Nation’s foster care system provides 
for nearly 424,000 children each day who are unable to 
live safely with their biological parents; 
Whereas foster parents are the most frontline caregiver 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 kids leaving fos-
ter care to adoption; 
Whereas most children who are removed from the care of 
their parents live with non-related foster parents, how-
ever, the number of children placed in relative foster care 
is growing; 
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Whereas on the last day of fiscal year 2009 nearly 1 in 4 of 
all children living in foster care (24 percent or close to 
102,000 children) were living in the homes of relatives; 
Whereas children in foster care who are placed with relatives, 
compared to children placed with non-relatives, have 
more stability (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 some relative caregivers receive less financial assist-
ance and support services than do foster caregivers; 
Whereas 255,000 children entered the foster care system dur-
ing fiscal year 2009 and an average of 115,000 children 
were waiting to be adopted every day; 
Whereas in fiscal year 2009, almost 57,000 children were 
adopted out of foster care, but the number of children 
‘‘aging out’’ of the foster care system without finding a 
permanent family increased to nearly 29,500; 
Whereas children ‘‘aging out’’ of foster care need and deserve 
a support system as they work to secure affordable hous-
ing, obtain health insurance, pursue higher education, 
and acquire adequate employment; 
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 an increased emphasis on prevention and reunifica-
tion services is necessary to reduce the number of chil-
dren that are forced to remain in the foster care system; 
Whereas Federal legislation over the past 3 decades, includ-
ing the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 
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1980, the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, and 
the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing 
Adoptions Act of 2008, provided new investments and 
services to improve the outcomes of children in the foster 
care system; 
Whereas State and local governments and other child serving 
agencies have also invested in child welfare services im-
provements in order to provide stable, permanent homes 
for children; 
Whereas more work and investments are needed to provide 
the necessary array of services to these children; 
Whereas foster children, like all children, deserve no less than 
a safe, loving, and permanent home; and 
Whereas May would be an appropriate month to designate as 
National Foster Care Month to provide an opportunity to 
acknowledge the accomplishments of the child welfare 
workforce, foster parents, advocacy community, and men-
tors and the positive impact they have on children’s lives: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National 
Foster Care Month; 
(2) honors the tireless efforts of those who work 
to improve outcomes for children in the child welfare 
system; 
(3) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the 
foster care system who serve as advocates and role 
models for youth who remain in care; 
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(4) recognizes the significant improvements to 
Federal, State, and local child welfare policy; and 
(5) reaffirms the need to work through the pro-
grams in Title IV–B and IV–E in the Social Secu-
rity Act and other programs to support vulnerable 
families, invest in prevention and reunification serv-
ices, promote adoption in cases where reunification 
is not in a child’s best interest, adequately serve 
those children brought into the foster care system, 
and facilitate the successful transition into adult-
hood for children that ‘‘age out’’ of the foster care 
system. 
Æ 
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