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About AFCARS

AFCARS collects case level information on all children in foster care for whom State and Tribal title IV-E agencies have responsibility for placement, care or supervision and on children who are adopted under the auspices of the State and Tribal title IV-E agency. Some of the information reported in AFCARS includes demographic information on the foster child as well as the foster and adoptive parents, the number of removal episodes a child has experienced, the number of placements in the current removal episode, as well as the current placement setting.

ACF uses AFCARS data for a number of reasons, including:

• Adoption Incentives Program
• Child Welfare Outcomes Report
• Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR)
• Title IV-E Eligibility Reviews
• Allotment of funds in the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)
• Trend analyses and short and long-term planning
• Targeting areas for greater or potential technical assistance efforts, for discretionary service grants, research and evaluation, and regulatory change
• Responding to request for data from Federal, State, Tribal, and private agencies

Title IV-E agencies are required to submit AFCARS data semi-annually to the Children's Bureau. The AFCARS report periods are October 1 through March 31 and April 1 through September 30. Data for each report period are due no later no later than May 15 and November 14, respectively.