The Children's Bureau provides guidance to states, tribes, child welfare agencies, and more on the complex and varied federal laws as they relate to child welfare.
What’s New in Laws & Policies?
This page provides resources and information about new federal legislation, regulations, and Children's Bureau policies.
Keyword
Policy Type
Date
CB Policy
Policy Resources
The following resources provide additional information about policy manuals, federal legislation, as well as state and tribal statutes.
- Child Welfare Policy Manual : Policy questions and answers applicable to child welfare programs operated by the Children's Bureau.
- The Title IV-E Plan Preprint - The current versions of the title IV-E plan preprints for State and Tribal title IV-E agencies are in the following program instructions:
- ACF-ACYF-CB-IM-24-10: Preprint Section A, State and Tribal Title IV-E Agency Plan for Foster Care Assistance, Adoption Assistance and Guardianship Assistance Programs (and requirements for participating in the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program).
- ACF-ACYF-CB-PI-24-10: Preprint Section B, State Title IV-E Agency Plan for Title IV-E Prevention Services and Programs.
- ACF-ACYF-CB-PI-24-11: Preprint Section B, Tribal Title IV-E Agency Plan for Title IV-E Prevention Services and Programs.
- Form CB-496 — The current version of the Title IV-E Programs Quarterly Financial Report CB-496 with instructions is in ACYF-ACF-CB-PI-24-09 issued November 5, 2024.
- Understanding and Complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994, as amended by The Interethnic Adoption Provisions (IEP) - This curriculum is sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, in coordination with the National Resource Center for Adoption, a service of the Children's Bureau.
- Congress.gov - Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information. The site provides access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of Congress, legislative agencies, and the public.
- State Statutes Search - Search Child Welfare Information Gateway for state statutes on issues related to child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and adoption. Results will provide summaries of state statutes (and full text of laws, in some cases).
Federal Laws
Federal laws are bills that have passed both houses of Congress, been signed by the president, passed over the president’s veto, or allowed to become law without the president’s signature. Individual laws, also called acts, are arranged by subject in the United States Code . Federal laws that govern Children’s Bureau programs are:
The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) - This document presents CAPTA as amended by P.L. 115-271, the Substance Use—Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act or the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, enacted October 24, 2018. The text includes the Adoption Opportunities program.
Compilation of Titles IV-B, IV-E and Related Sections of the Social Security Act - This compilation includes the titles IV-B, IV-E, and related sections of the Social Security Act.
Legislation
Legislation consists of bills introduced by legislative bodies to amend or enact laws. Legislation must become law to have any force or effect. The Government Printing Office and Congress.gov provide access to the official public laws. For a list of recently enacted child welfare-related laws, click here. Additionally, the following resources provide information about some enacted federal child welfare laws:
- Index of Federal Child Welfare Laws - Since 1974, many laws have been passed by the U.S. Congress that impact children and families and the agencies that serve them. A list of selected laws is included.
- About CAPTA: A Legislative History - This document summarizes the legislative history and purpose of CAPTA, the key federal legislation addressing child abuse and neglect.
Regulatory Actions
Executive branch agencies, such as the Administration for Children and Families issue regulations that interpret, implement, and enforce enacted laws. Regulations are published in the Federal Register . The Federal Register contains government agency rules, proposed rules, public notices. It is published every weekday, except on federal holidays. The Regulatory Actions page provides the Children’s Bureau’s proposed and final regulations and notices for public comment since 2008 and includes links to the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations that govern the title IV-B and IV-E programs.
Technical Bulletins
The Children’s Bureau develops technical bulletins to supplement official guidance and assist states and tribes in implementing child welfare policies and practices. Technical bulletins cover a variety of topics, including the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS), and child welfare monitoring.
- AFCARS Technical Bulletins - These technical bulletins supplement official guidance and assist states in developing, implementing, and maintaining their Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS).
- NYTD Technical Bulletins - These technical bulletins supplement official guidance and assist states in developing and implementing the data collection and reporting requirements for the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD).
- CCWIS Technical Bulletins - These technical bulletins supplement official guidance and assist states and tribes in developing, implementing, and maintaining their Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS).
- CFSR Technical Bulletins - These technical bulletins supplement official guidance and assist states in understanding and preparing for child welfare monitoring reviews.
- Title IV-E Prevention Program Technical Bulletins - These technical bulletins supplement official guidance and assist title IV-E agencies in implementing data collection and reporting requirements for the title IV-E prevention program.