National Foster Care Review Coalition

Speaking Together for Children in Foster Care
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What is Independent Foster Care Review?
 
Children who are abused and neglected are placed into the state's custody when the child's family is not able to appropriately care for them or maintain their safety. Foster Care Review (FCR) provides objective, third party oversight for these children while in state custody. In the review process, assessments are made regarding the children's safety, permanency, and well-being. In addition, assessments are made regarding the parents' progress in alleviating the reasons the child(ren) entered custody. Following these reviews, the reviewer's findings and/or recommendations are submitted to various programs and produce data that provide insight into the child protective system's strengths and weaknesses. Periodically, the review programs present data that provide insight into the child welfare system's strengths and weaknesses, formulate recommendations for systemic improvement and advocate for implementation of those reforms.
 
Member States
 

Member programs impact over 45,000 children in foster care, by involving over 1,860 volunteers, and 134 staff members nationwide.

 

 
How are reviews conducted?
 
Reviews are conducted differently in each state. Most involve trained community volunteers or professionals reviewing case information about children in foster care, eliciting feedback from the people involved, and data collection.
 
 

 Priorities

 
  • Study issues related to Termination of Parental

              Rights or changes in a child's permanency goal

              at 15 of 22 months in care

  •  Identify barriers to achieving permanency

               (i.e., finalized adoption) within 12 months after

               termination of parental rights has been filed

  •  Ensure child and family involvement in case

               planning

  •  Focus on the educational issues and needs of

               the child

  •  Encourage placement with siblings