April 3, 2009

Fostering Connections Act: Implementation Checklists for Education Provisions

State and local education and child welfare agencies will need to work separately and together in a structured way to ensure that children in foster care get the benefits of the education provisions of Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Fostering Connections). Courts and, in many states, legislators will also need to be involved. Are your state and local agencies and your state's courts and legislators taking the right steps? These checklists are designed to guide conversations in your state-- conversations that will ensure thoughtful implementation of these important education provisions and that will involve representatives from these agencies and entities as well as other stakeholders interested in implementing Fostering Connections and improving education outcomes for children in foster care. Checklist 1: Setting the Stage lays out the foundational questions for implementing Fostering Connections: What do child welfare agencies, education agencies, courts, and legislators need to do to prepare for implementing the Act? Checklist 2: Education Obligations and Considerations under the Fostering Connections Act details the responsibilities of the various agencies under Fostering Connections, and suggests the questions and considerations for each.