AFCARS - Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System

Technical Bulletins

The technical bulletins (TBs) have been prepared and issued by the Children's Bureau to supplement the official guidance and assist States in developing, implementing and maintaining their AFCAR system. The TBs have been revised since first being issued. Previously, there were fourteen technical bulletins, which have now been consolidated and reduced to ten. The content of the technical bulletins remains the same, and technical bulletins that addressed the same subject were combined into one technical bulletin. The changes reflect technical corrections or modifications to make the information more clear. A new technical bulletin has been added that addresses the process for receiving the AFCARS reports from the Federal system. Each TB contains a footnote reflecting dates of previous issuance and number.

Technical Bulletin #1 - Data Elements (PDF - 713 KB) - This TB provides overview information on the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) foster care and adoption data elements.

Technical Bulletin #2 - Disability Information (PDF - 368 KB) - This TB provides title IV-E agencies with information on how to correctly map certain diagnosed conditions from an agency's information system to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS).

Technical Bulletin #3 - Frequency Report (PDF - 548 KB) - This TB provides information on how to interpret the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) frequency report and how to install and execute the AFCARS Frequency Report Utility, Version 2.1.

Technical Bulletin #4 - Data Compliance (PDF - 560 KB) - This TB provides guidance on the standards used to determine compliance on the semi-annual Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data files.

Technical Bulletin #5A - Data Quality (PDF - 627 KB) - This TB provides information to title IV-E agencies on how to interpret the data quality reports generated by the Federal AFCAR System on each semi-annual AFCARS data submission.

Technical Bulletin #5B - Data Quality Utility, Version 2.1 (PDF - 1,400 KB) - This TB is intended to give a more technical description of how the Data Quality Utility works.

Technical Bulletin #6 - Data Extraction (PDF - 374 KB) - This TB addresses the extraction of data for submission to the Federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS).

Technical Bulletin #7 - Encryption Guidelines and Algorithms (PDF - 518 KB) - This TB provides title IV-E agencies with guidance in encrypting record numbers in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data file submissions.

Technical Bulletin #8 - AFCARS Encryption/Decryption Utility: C Version 2.1 (PDF - 375 KB) - This TB provides guidance for installing and executing the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Encryption/Decryption Utility.

Technical Bulletin #9 - Data File Format (PDF - 505 KB) - This TB supplements information in 45 CFR 1355.40, and the Appendices to Part 1355 by providing additional guidance on the AFCARS file format and the proper naming convention to be used for AFCARS files.

Technical Bulletin #10 - Footnote Guidance (PDF - 344 KB) - This TB provides information on the types of information that title IV-E agencies may wish to include in explaining their Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data and provides the format for submitting footnotes.

Technical Bulletin #11 - Electronic Data Transmission (PDF - 396 KB) - This TB provides information on the Children’s Bureau’s electronic data transfer (EDT) protocols for the transmission of AFCARS data files by title IV-E agencies.