Resource Library

The purpose of this Information Memorandum (IM) is to inform title IV-E agencies that a final rule was published amending the AFCARS regulations to require state title IV-E agencies to collect and report data elements related to the procedural protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA). This final rule was published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2024 (89 FR 96569).

The Children's Bureau Data Analytics and Reporting Team held an office hours session on June 24, 2024, from 3:00pm to 4:00pm ET. For this office hour, the Children's Bureau shared updates on revised technical bulletins and revisions to the penalty process.  This was also an opportunity for states, tribes, and territories to ask questions.

This report provides preliminary estimates of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data for FY 2022. As states are permitted to resubmit AFCARS data, the estimates may change over time. This report reflects all AFCARS data received as of May 9, 2023 related to AFCARS reporting periods through September 30, 2022.

The purpose of this Information Memorandum (IM) is to inform title IV-E agencies that a NPRM was published proposing to amend the AFCARS regulations to require state title IV-E agencies to collect and report data elements related to the procedural protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA). This NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2024 (89 FR 13652 ).

The results of Brief 1 indicated that children with special health care needs (SHCN) experienced more challenges in foster care compared to the experiences of children with no SHCN. However, it is important to evaluate which condition(s) is contributing the most to these variations. In addition to examining the same child welfare outcomes that were evaluated in Brief 1, this brief investigates the child’s removal from home while also considering the type of diagnosis or diagnoses of the child.

This technical bulletin provides title IV-E agencies with information on the standards an AFCARS data file must meet to comply with the provisions of the AFCARS regulations found at 45 CFR §1355.41— §1355.47. This technical bulletin was last revised on June 10, 2024. 

This technical bulletin addresses how to extract data for the Out-of-Home Care and Adoption and Guardianship Assistance Files defined in AFCARS Technical Bulletin #21. Additionally, this document includes guidance on extracting corrected files (previously referred to as subsequent files) after the required AFCARS reporting periods. This technical bulletin was last revised on June 10, 2024.

This technical bulletin provides agencies with information required to create the AFCARS data files.  It provides technical specifications on the structural layout of the XML data and shares the XML schema for the Out-of-Home Care File and the Adoption and Guardianship Assistance File.  It also covers information on encryption of the file records. This Technical Bulletin was last revised on October 10, 2023.

This webinar was the first session in the AFCARS Final Rule Training Series. This webinar provides an on the overview of Technical Bulletin 20, published October 29, 2020.  It includes a brief description and provides examples for the AFCARS 2020 out-of-home care and adoption and guardianship assistance data elements on the final rule.  It also provided guidance and direction to questions submitted on prior webinars.