Policy Matters

Caregiver Day at the Capitol Elevates Caregiver Voice

On Tuesday, February 27, the Alliance for Children’s Rights and the California Alliance of Caregivers hosted the 2024 Caregiver Day at the Capitol in Sacramento. This annual event was held for caregivers to learn more about the policies that impact child welfare and to speak with decision-makers at the Capitol regarding relevant policy issues that affect youth in foster …

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Alliance Win for Families

Governor Signs Bill Providing Relief for Families Who Accept Placement Prior to Resource Family Approval

We prepared this letter for caregivers to understand whether they are eligible for this critical relief and what they can expect.  On March 13, Governor Brown signed AB 110, which includes an immediate solution to funding relatives and non-related extended family members who accept placement of a child prior to being approved as a resource family. The bill …

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Proposed Federal Budget Cuts Would Endanger Vulnerable Families and Children in Foster Care

We’re out of the woods for the time being on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, but for vulnerable children and families, plenty of threats remain on the horizon. Unraveling the safety net, as these cuts promise to do, will put more children at risk of entries into foster care and, for those who …

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What Does the Election of Trump Mean for Children and Families?

Angie Schwartz Policy Director What does the election of Donald Trump and the momentum of a Republican-dominated Senate mean for the vulnerable children and families for whom we advocate? That is the question at the forefront of my mind as I try to process the results of this election. We must prepare for years of …

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Making Resource Family Approval Work for Kinship Families

Relatives are critical to the success of CCR, as relatives currently provide placement for over 38% of the state’s more than 62,000 foster children and are the most likely to provide a home to older youth stepping down from a group home. Studies suggest that children placed with relatives experience less trauma, stronger bonds with …

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Governor Corrects Unequal Treatment for Youth Living with Relatives

This summer, a historic change took place thanks to years of advocacy work led by the Alliance and a coalition of partners: Governor Brown signed a new state budget that corrects a longstanding inequality in the way relative foster parents are supported in meeting a child’s needs. Studies demonstrate that children placed with relatives experience …

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Federal Family First Act (H.R. 5456) A Step Backwards for California’s Foster Children

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) joined Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (R-OR) in introducing the Family First Act, which ostensibly allows states to utilize federal funds for preventative and supportive services while also limiting when federal funds can …

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California Child Advocates for Change Releases Two Policy Briefs to Help Inform Federal Child Welfare Reforms

California Child Advocates for Change is a coalition of legal and child welfare advocacy organizations, including the Alliance for Children’s Rights, that provide direct legal services to thousands of children, youth and families each year who are affected by the foster care systems. The lived experience of at-risk children and families informs both the direct …

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