Resource Library

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 October 6, 2023. 

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 October 2, 2023.

This technical assistance document provides guidance to title IV-E agencies about incorporating cloud service models, such as Software-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service into child welfare information systems. 

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 state panel discussion addressed how states are approaching planning, development, and technology support for key program initiatives (Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP), Prevention, and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)).  Panelists from Florida, Missouri, and Ohio shared updates, progress, and challenges.

This webinar addressed critical topics for consideration by title IV-E agencies when writing data quality plans.  It discussed biennial review requirements and shared lessons learned (strengths and areas of improvement) from ACF's review and approval of data quality plans in the first two years after the CCWIS transition period.

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.

This webinar summarized the different Advance Planning Documents (Planning, Implementation, Annual, As-Needed, and Operational) and then advised how to compose quality Advance Planning Documents.  This webinar included suggestions to save time and simplify the process, and tips on dos and don'ts that affect approval.  

This technical bulletin gives reporting instructions and provides examples for the AFCARS 2020 out-of-home care and adoption and guardianship assistance data elements. The regulation for each element is shown in a blue box. Following the regulation language, CB provides explanatory text, examples, differences between AFCARS 1993 and AFCARS 2020, and data reporting standards. This Technical Bulletin was last revised on January 14, 2022.

This guide provides an overview of the challenges child welfare researchers and evaluators may face in conducting research and collecting data remotely and offers strategies and recommendations to address them. It reviews how to adapt evaluation designs, select and employ virtual data-collection technologies, maintain data privacy, and collect qualitative data.