New Help for Children Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives
Questions and Answers About the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008
January 2009
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Collaborating organizations include: Center for Law and Social Policy, Children's Defense Fund, Alliance for Children and Families/United Neighborhood Centers of America, American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, Annie E. Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services, Casey Family Programs, Center for the Study of Social Policy, ChildFocus, Child Welfare League of America, Children and Family Research Center - School of Social Work at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Family Violence Prevention Fund, Generations United, GrandFamilies of America, National Association of County Human Services Administrators, National Center for State Courts, National Foster Care Coalition, North American Council on Adoptable Children, Voices for America's Children
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This report is intended to help ensure full and prompt implementation of the improvements in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act for children being raised by grandparents and other relatives. It was prepared by an informal coalition of organizations, many of whom have been working individually and together for years to support children being raised by grandparents and other relatives. In this guide, the collaborating organizations have answered a number of questions posed to them by persons interested in implementing the new act. The Guide is intended to be useful to those charged with implementing the improvements for children being raised by grandparents and other relatives, as well as others who are advocating for the new improvements and assisting with implementation.
Introduction
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Overview
Chapter 2 - Identification of and Notice to Grandparents and Other Relatives
Chapter 3 - Kinship Navigator Programs and Other Family Connection Grant Activities
Chapter 4 - Subsidized Guardianship/Kinship Guardianship Assitance Program
Chapter 5 - Maintaining Sibling Connections
Chapter 6 - Educational Stability for Children
Chapter 7 - Eligibility for Chafee Independent Living Services and Educational and Training Vouchers for Children Being Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives
Chapter 8 - Licensing Homes of Grandparents and Other Relative Caregivers
Chapter 9 - Training of Relative Caregivers and Those Working with Children in the Child Welfare System
Appendices