This section provides information about the Children's Bureau (CB), including its purpose, structure, programs, priorities, and history.
CB Fact Sheet
Want to learn more about CB? This factsheet discusses CB’s mission, purpose, and goals. It is a good starting point for learning how our programs serve children and families.
What We Do
CB is an agency within the Administration for Children and Families, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We seek to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children through leadership, support for necessary services, and productive partnerships with states, tribes, and communities. CB provides leadership in addressing and preventing child abuse and neglect.
Organizational Structure
CB is headed by an Associate Commissioner who advises the Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families on matters related to the administration of state and tribal child welfare systems, including child abuse and neglect, child protective services, family preservation and support, adoption, foster care, independent living, and child abuse and neglect prevention. CB is composed of 8 divisions and teams, including a set of 10 regional offices. These groups work to support our mission through various activities that promote safe and stable families.
Programs
The agency has the primary responsibility for administering federal programs that support state child welfare services. Additionally, CB provides matching federal funds to states, tribes, and communities to help them operate every aspect of their child welfare systems, including the prevention of child abuse and neglect, the support of permanent placements through adoption and subsidized guardianship, and the information systems necessary to support these programs.
Current Issues & Priorities
Each administration presents a set of priorities that reflect their vision for improving outcomes for children, youth, and families. These initiatives offer the opportunity to expand the work of CB to support the priorities of the current leadership.
Initiatives | Issues | Other Related Links
History
CB was the first federal agency within the U.S. Government-and in fact, the world-to focus exclusively on improving the lives of children and families. Since its creation by President Taft in 1912, CB has tackled some of our nation’s most pressing social issues, including the following:
- Infant and maternal death
- Child labor
- Orphanages
- Child health and recreation
- Delinquency and juvenile courts
- Family economic security
- Abused and neglected children
- Foster care
In each of these areas, CB has provided groundbreaking leadership and garnered critical resources to improve the lives of children and families.