The US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is advancing a focused strategy to improve outcomes for children and families by strengthening the child welfare system. At the center of this effort is a clear objective: ensuring that homes are ready and available for children, rather than children waiting for placement. Through the “A Home for Every Child” initiative, ACF seeks to reduce entries into foster care through effective prevention services, expand the pool of foster homes through targeted recruitment and greater prioritization of kinship care, and improve retention of current caregivers. In support of these goals, ACF will also work to reduce regulatory burdens and eliminate wasteful spending to enhance local flexibility and ensure responsible use of taxpayer resources.
Community Action Agencies can play a vital role in advancing this initiative by leveraging their local partnerships and service networks to strengthen prevention efforts and support family stability. With coordinated wraparound services—such as housing assistance, employment support, parenting education, and access to benefits—agencies can help address the underlying challenges that place children at risk of entering foster care. They can also collaborate with child welfare partners to recruit and support foster and kinship caregivers, provide resource navigation, and offer ongoing case management to promote caregiver retention.
State-by-state foster care resources are available here on ACF’s website. And please stay tuned for future updates from ACF.