On September 27, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the development of three key supports to families and children in foster care in the United States:

• Support for kinship caregivers – aiding family members and loved ones who step forward to care for a child in foster care by making it easier for them to access resources and financial assistance.
• Protect LGBTQI+ youth in foster care from abuse and mistreatment by ensuring they have the services they need to thrive.
• Expand access to legal services for children and families at risk of entering or in the child welfare system.

Cornerstones of Care endorses these proposed regulations and extends its appreciation to the Administration for its commitment to children and families in foster care.

The announcement comes as Kinship Month, celebrated in September, comes to a close.

Kinship foster care involves a relative or non-relative kin, such as a teacher, neighbor, or coach with whom the child is familiar. These individuals care for the child as the family works through trauma with the goal of reuniting the family in the future.

These courageous, compassionate caregivers are often asked on short notice to take children into their homes. In some circumstances, kinship foster parents do not receive the same compensation to cover the costs of raising children that licensed foster parents receive.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a regulation to allow states to simplify the process for kinship caregivers to become providers for children in foster care and require that states provide kinship foster families with the same financial support as other foster homes.

As part of the Biden-Harris announcement, HHS is proposing a regulation to protect LGBTQI+ youth in foster care. Nationally, LGBTQI+ youth are overrepresented in foster care compared to those who identify as gender binary. Concerns about the safety and health of LGBTQI+ youth have risen both in foster care settings and in society in general.

Each state’s child welfare agency is to ensure LGBTQI+ children in their care are placed in foster homes where they will be protected from mistreatment related to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Caregivers will receive special training on meeting the needs of LGBTQI+ youth and accessing services to help these youth thrive.

The expansion of legal services is expected to reduce the number of children in foster care. Prior to children entering foster care, families frequently face insurmountable costs when hiring an attorney to address issues that, if resolved, might keep a family together and children out of foster care. These issues include housing and eviction conflicts, domestic violence, and sometimes minor offenses requiring an attorney that families can’t afford. The new rule by HHS allows child welfare agencies to use federal funds to expand access to legal services for families who need a lawyer for such purposes.