Resource Library

This executive summary presents findings from an evaluation of the services delivered by the Capacity Building Center for States, which is funded by the Children’s Bureau, from fiscal years 2015 through 2019.

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 report presents national data about child abuse and neglect known to child protective services agencies in the United States during federal fiscal year 2019.

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 letter from the Children’s Bureau encourages agencies and courts to continue working together to ensure judicial hearings and reviews proceed and critical judicial oversight occurs in child welfare proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report uses Round 3 (2015—2018) CFSR results to understand how, how often, and how well child welfare systems helped to promote and preserve children’s connections in four areas: with parents; with siblings; with extended family; and with children’s community, culture, school, and friends. In each area, data from Round 3 of the CFSRs provides information about state child welfare systems.

This addendum supplements the Child and Family Services Reviews Aggregate Report for Round 3 (FYs 2015—2018). Readers should refer to the full report for a comprehensive explanation of the Round 3 results. The purpose of this addendum is to use advanced statistical techniques to better understand the associations between items, outcomes, and case characteristics. Data stem from the full Round 3 CFSRs (2015—2018), which included 4,067 cases reviewed.

This letter to child welfare leaders from the Children’s Bureau addresses allowing title IV-E prevention programs and services to be adapted to a virtual environment to provide needed support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.