A National Look at the Use of Congregate Care in Child Welfare

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and the Children’s Bureau released a brief on the use of congregate care in the child welfare system. Through examining trends from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), federal, state, and local agencies were able to collect data elements which are designed to help policymakers and advocates better understand the population of children and youth who are likely to experience congregate care and what, if any, additional supports may be needed to further reduce reliance on it as a placement setting.