Resource Library

This is an overview presentation on the AFCARS final rule.

This short, 8-minute technical training video is created by The Children's Bureau Data Analytics and Reporting Team and gives a brief demonstration which shows agencies how to validate their XML files against the XSD. For more information, or to access the XSD, please see AFCARS Technical Bulletin 21.

The Children's Bureau Data Analytics and Reporting Team held their final AFCARS Open Office Hours for 2023. These sessions are for state and tribal program administrators, child welfare data leaders, and information system programmers. It provides an opportunity to ask questions specific to your agency's implementation of AFCARS 2020. The April session covered questions and answers, as well as updates from NCWDMS.

This technical bulletin is a revision to the Technical Bulletin #1 that was originally published on August 19, 2019.  This revised Technical Bulletin #1 provides additional information regarding the file structure for the data elements to be submitted by IV-E agencies for each child who received IV-E prevention services, as required by FFPSA.

This report provides preliminary estimates of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data for FY 2020. As states are permitted to resubmit AFCARS data, the estimates may change over time. This report reflects all AFCARS data received as of October 4, 2021 related to AFCARS reporting periods through September 30, 2020.

This document provides general information about the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS).

This Program Instruction (PI) provides instruction to states on the June 30, 2011 submission of the Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR) required under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act (the Act) for the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services (CWS) and Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) Programs, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) State Grant Program; and the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) and the Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) Program; and the CFS-101, Part I, Annual Budget Request, Part II, Annual Summary of Child and Family Services, and Part III, Annual Expenditure Report—Title IV-B, subparts 1 and 2, CFCIP, and ETV.

This Program Instruction (PI) provides instruction to state on the June 30, 2004 submission of: (1) the Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP) Final Report; (2) the fiscal years (FYs) 2005-2009 Child and Family Services Plan for Child Welfare Services and Promoting Safe and Stable Families Programs, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment State Plan; and the Foster Care Independence and the Education and Training Vouchers Programs; and (3) the CFS-101, Parts I and II, Annual Budget Request and Annual Summary of Child and Family Services.

The DQU performs comprehensive checks on AFCARS data to help title IV-E agencies assess and improve data quality.

This document is a letter from the Children's Bureau to Oklahoma about the state's successful completion of its Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) improvement plan.