The Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) provides the Administration for Children and Families' Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) with information for child support purposes, pertaining to parents for whom state child support agencies have requested FPLS conduct a locate. As part of FPLS this process contains two distinct exchanges, the Direct Request Locator Information File (DRLIF) and Earnings System Keyed Applications for SSN Registration Identification (ESKARI). In the DRLIF process, on a daily basis, OCSE submits a finder file of known SSNs to SSA to identify employer address information for up to ten recent employers the person has been employed by over the past four years as well as wage amounts. In the ESKARI process, on a daily basis OCSE submits finder files of unknown SSNs to SSA in order to identify the SSNs which will then be recycled back into the DRLIF process for normal processing.

This joint Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and DSS presentation describes the use of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) in child welfare cases, and provides guidance on defining and reporting Automated Functions, as defined by Federal Regulations 45 CFR 1355.53, as part of Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) Advance Planning Document (APD) submissions, as defined by Federal Regulations 45 CFR 1355.52(i) and Federal Regulations 45 CFR 95.611. Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

This Information Memorandum (IM) informs title IV-E agencies on how to use CCWIS, non-CCWIS information systems, websites, and applications to support child welfare program activities related to the recruitment, approval, and retention of foster homes. Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

Background The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-169) establishes the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP), now known as the Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee Program), in amendment to section 477 of the Social Security Act. The Chafee Program provides states with flexible funding to carry out programs that assist youth in making the transition from foster care to a healthy and self-sufficient adulthood. The law also requires the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to develop a data collection system to track the independent living services States provide to youth and develop outcome measures that may be used to assess States' performance in operating their independent living programs. The law also requires ACF to impose a penalty of between one and five percent of the State's annual allotment on any State that fails to comply with the reporting requirements. Overview To meet the law's mandate, ACF published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on July 14, 2006, and a final rule on February 26, 2008. The regulation establishes the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) and requires that States engage in two data collection activities. First, States are to collect information on each youth who receives independent living services paid for or provided by the State agency that administers the Chafee Program. Second, States are to collect demographic and outcome information on certain youth in foster care whom the State will follow over time to collect additional outcome information. This information will allow ACF to track which independent living services States provide and assess the collective outcomes of youth. Pursuant to the regulation, States begin collecting data for NYTD on October 1, 2010, and reports data to ACF semiannually. The first submission of data to ACF occurred on May 15, 2011. Information on NYTD Services The regulation requires that States report to ACF the independent living services and supports they provide to all youth in eleven broad categories: independent living needs assessment; academic support; post-secondary educational support; career preparation; employment programs or vocational training; budget and financial management; housing education and home management training; health education and risk prevention; family support and healthy marriage education; mentoring; and supervised independent living. States will also report financial assistance they provide, including assistance for education, room and board and other aid. Information on NYTD Outcomes States will survey youth regarding six outcomes: financial self-sufficiency, experience with homelessness, educational attainment, positive connections with adults, high-risk behavior, and access to health insurance. Additionally, States collect outcomes information by conducting a survey of youth in foster care on or around their 17th birthday, also referred to as the baseline population. States track these youth as they age and conduct a new outcome survey on or around the youth's 19th birthday; and again on or around the youth's 21st birthday, also referred to as the follow-up population. States collect outcomes information on these older youth at ages 19 or 21 regardless of their foster care status or whether they are still receiving independent living services from the State. Depending on the size of the State's foster care youth population, some States may conduct a random sample of the baseline population of the 17-year-olds that participate in the outcomes survey so that they can follow a smaller group of youth as they age. All States collect and report outcome information on a new baseline population cohort every three years. Information Describing the Youth For every youth reported to NYTD, a State must use an encrypted identification number that is the same as the identifier used to report information on the young person to the Adop

This report presents results from the Child and Family Services Reviews related to older youth (aged 16—17) in foster care for the 38 states reviewed during the first 3 years of round 3 (2015—2017). Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

This report presents results from the Child and Family Services Reviews related to older youth (aged 16—17) in foster care for the 38 states reviewed during the first 3 years of round 3 (2015—2017). Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

This Information Memorandum (IM) informs State agencies about the use of the Federal Parent Locator Service for Child Welfare Services. Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

Family Preservation Services (FPR) are services provided to the child and the family where the caregiver retains legal custody. This chart counts children served in Family Based Safety Services Family Preservation Stages during the fiscal year. Child count is both unduplicated and duplicated by stage of children in FPR stages during the fiscal year. Some children are in more than one Family Preservation Stage at the same time due to having separate caregivers with open stages or having more than one stage opened at different times within the same fiscal year. NOTE: Family Preservation Services is under the umbrella of Family Based Safety Services (FBSS).

Policy issuances and other guidance related to NYTD, including questions and answers: Public Law 106-169 established the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP), now known as the Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee Program) at section 477 of the Social Security Act (PDF), requiring ACF to develop a data collection system, the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD). To meet the law's mandate, ACF published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register on July 14, 2006. The final rule for NYTD was published February 26, 2008 and is effective as of April 28, 2008. The regulations are found at 45 CFR 1356.80-86 (PDF) and include a guide to the NYTD data elements (Appendix A), a list of youth outcome survey questions (Appendix B), and guidance on calculating sample size for the NYTD follow-up population (Appendix C). In addition to the statute and the regulation, the following documents have been issued by the Children's Bureau. Also, answers to commonly asked NYTD questions are provided as a resource to assist States in understanding and implementing the NYTD data collection and reporting requirements. Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

This Information Memorandum (IM) notifies states that the Children’s Bureau is disbursing funding provided under section 437(g) of the Act as an increase in the title IV-B subpart 2 Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program allocation to support an electronic interstate case-processing system to expedite interstate placements of children in foster, guardianship or adoptive homes, and to provide an example of such an electronic interstate system. Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.