Children’s Rights engages in research and advocacy at the local, state, and national levels, conducting studies and periodically issuing major reports designed to show how better public policy can bring about big improvements in the lives of our nation’s abused and neglected children.

Our policy research and advocacy on foster care includes the following projects:

An Assessment of Barriers to Achieving Permanency for Children in Foster Care in New York City (2009)

A new study, in process now, assessing the barriers to achieving permanency for 150 children currently in foster care in New York City who have had a permanency goal of either reunification or adoption for two years or more.

Hitting the M.A.R.C.: Establishing Foster Care Minimum Adequate Rates for Children (2007)

The first-ever nationwide, state-by-state calculation of the real cost of supporting children in foster care, revealing widespread deficiencies in reimbursement rates across the nation — and major disparities among the states — and proposing a new standard rate for each state to use in fulfilling the federal requirement to provide foster parents with payments to cover the basic needs of children in foster care, including food, shelter, clothing and school supplies.

 

 

 

Forgotten Children: Children with Disabilities in Foster Care (2006)

A comprehensive review of the literature on the needs of children with disabilities in foster care, focusing on abuse and neglect, health and medical issues, educational challenges, foster parent training and support, and aging out of the foster care system. (Part of a broader collaboration with United Cerebral Palsy examining the needs of children with disabilities in foster care and developing resources aimed at addressing them.)

 

 

 

 

The Role of Emergency Care as a Child Welfare Service (2005)

A qualitative study of emergency care, designed to achieve a better understanding of the use of emergency care services throughout the country and its impact on children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permanent Solutions: Seeking Family Stability for Youth in Foster Care (2005)

An in-depth analysis of systemwide statistical data provided by New York’s Administration of Children’s Services and interviews with more than 70 parents, young adults formerly in foster care, adoptive parents and child welfare professionals. Concrete recommendations suggest actions that can be taken to help move children through the system more quickly.

 

 

 

 

A Return to Orphanages? (2004)

A comprehensive report on child welfare systems’ reliance on group homes and institutions as placements for children in foster care, concluding that despite what is known from research about the highly negative impact of institutional care on children, “orphanages” are unfortunately likely to remain a placement option for foster children in many communities.

 

Time Running Out: Teens in Foster Care (2003)

An in-depth look at the experiences and outcomes for youth in congregate care in New York City, addressing placements, services, safety, and permanency for youth in congregate care, including youth involvement in planning and decision-making and youth transitioning out of the foster care system.

 

 

 

 

 

A Case of Double Jeopardy? Youth Involvement in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems (2004)

A comprehensive look at the experiences of young people in foster care who have committed delinquent acts, examining the extent to which law, policy, and practice support appropriate outcomes for young people, and the ability of child welfare officials and foster parents to advocate on behalf of these children.