3/15 D.C. Event on Foster Care and Subsidized Guardianship

MEDIA ADVISORY
Briefing on U.S. Foster Care Reform

New Report: Time for Reform: Support relatives in providing foster care and permanent families for children

Thursday, March 15, 2007
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room G – 11

Nearly 125,000 children in the U.S. foster care system actually live with their grandparents or other relatives -- almost a fourth of the 500,000 foster children nationwide -- but the current way the federal government pays for foster care prevents many kids from permanently joining those relatives as a family.

A new report, "Time for Reform: Support relatives in providing foster care and permanent families for children," by Generations United and the Kids are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now campaign highlights how federal support for subsidized guardianship could help move some children, for whom reunification or adoption is not possible, from foster care to safe, permanent families. The study indicates that children in relative foster care tend to be just as safe as, or safer than, children placed with non-relative foster families. Relative foster placements also tend to be more stable, with children more likely to remain in familiar neighborhoods and schools and to live with their siblings. Senators Hillary Clinton (NY) and Olympia Snowe (ME) recently reintroduced the Kinship Caregiver Support Act, which would support these children and relatives and reduce the reliance on foster care services.

Sponsors of the event include Generations United, University of Illinois Children and Family Research Center, The Pew Charitable Trusts, AARP, Center for Law and Social Policy, Child Welfare League of America, the Children's Defense Fund and the National Indian Child Welfare Association. Speakers include:

LESLIE COHEN and NANCY ROLOCK
Research Specialists, Children and Family Research Center, Chicago, Illinois

BRIAN AND MELISSA ROTE
Youth, Des Moines, IA

HARLEN SPONAUGLE
Grandfather, Greenbush, ME

JJ HITCH
Young Adult, Clinton Township, MI

MARY C. SCOTT
Board of Directors, AARP

DONNA BUTTS
Executive Director, Generations United

Invited Participants Include: Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Olympia Snowe

Contact:
Gina Russo, Kids Are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now, (202) 421-3578
Donna Butts, Generations United, (202) 289-3979