06/18/2026
What does S162 do? (Information provided by NFPA)
It's all about recruiting and retaining foster families.
The legislation is designed to help states recruit, retain, and better support foster and adoptive families through improved use of data, and planning.
Each state would be required to create a Family Partnership Plan focused on recruiting and retention; these plans would utilize data that's collected about the makeup of foster and adoptive families, in order to better identify the gaps in services so that those gaps can be addressed and improved.
There would be increased reporting requirements for the states back to Congress so that these needs can be continuously evaluated.
Why did the NFPA Champion S.162?
The bill addresses one of the biggest challenges in child welfare: there are not enough foster families available for the children who need them.
S.162 focuses on understanding why families do not choose to foster, why licensed families leave the fostering system, what supports can keep actively fostering families engaged and on-board, and how states can recruit more effectively.
What will the anticipated impact be?
If fully implemented, S.162 aims to:
Improve the support systems that are available to foster families, so that fosters don't leave the system due to inadequate resources.
Reduce disruptions for kids during placement.
Increase the number of foster homes that are available - through better recruitment, and support once a family is actively fostering.
Help children to be placed in homes instead of in care facilities.
Give policymakers access to better, quality information about what foster care reforms are needed.
