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Resources and Tools > AFCARS
AFCARS
The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) collects case level information on all children in foster care for whom the State child welfare agency has responsibility for placement, care or supervision and on children who are adopted under the auspices of the State's public child welfare agency. As a part of its ongoing commitment to meeting its goals, the NRC-CWDT is pleased to offer technical assistance around AFCARS. In addition to giving the State a better understanding of its child welfare practice, the AFCARS data are used for a number of purposes by the Federal government. Those uses include the Annual Child Welfare Report to Congress, the data profile related to the Child and Family Services Reviews, and funding allocations for the Chafee Independent Living Program and the Adoption Incentive Program. NRC-CWDT can work with each State to meet its specific needs.
The NRC-CWDT is pleased to offer States a wide range of technical assistance and products to improve the collection, reporting, data quality and use of AFCARS data.
New! AFCARS Consultation Session Webinars
The Children's Bureau invites staff of Indian tribes and States, as well as other stakeholders, to provide input on improvements that could enhance the ability of AFCARS to meet both tribal and state agency and federal needs for child welfare data. The Children's Bureau issued a proposed rule in 2008 to revise AFCARS. Due to the enactment of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 and the substantial changes it introduced in title IV-E, ACF intends to issue a new AFCARS NPRM. To inform development of the new NRPM, ACF is holding two webinars. These are part of several forthcoming consultation opportunities on AFCARS improvements. Please be prepared to share your perspective about data collection and reporting requirements for title IV-E child welfare agencies.
For more information about the AFCARS Consultation process and other opportunities to provide input, please see the Federal Register Announcement:
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Webinar consultation sessions will be held Wednesday, September 8 and September 15, 2010 at 2:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time.
Register for the September 8, 2010 Webinar
Register for the September 15, 2010 Webinar
Please contact us if you have any issues with registration.
AFCARS Products and Links
NYTD Brief on mapping of race elements, as they relate to AFCARS. (Also available in PDF File.)
AFCARS Elements - A list of the 66 Foster Care and 37 Adoption elements
AFCARS Toolkit - The AFCARS Toolkit, created by the NRC-CWDT, provides links to key materials and documents related to the collection of quality data that can be used to address policy development and program management issues at the State and Federal level.
AFCARS Factsheets – These brief documents share common concerns and questions that have been received and answered by Federal staff on AFCARS Reviews and SACWIS Reviews
AFCARS Assessment Review (AAR) Information
AFCARS Software Utilities – Including the AFCARS Frequency Report Utility
AFCARS 2.0 NPRM
The Children’s Bureau has published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on Friday, January 11, 2008. The NPRM proposes numerous improvements to AFCARS data, including changes to the reporting populations, data structure, elements, compliance determination and penalty provisions.
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The comment period ran 60 days from publication. The Children’s Bureau has posted the comments received for public viewing on www.regulations.gov.
The AFCARS NPRM is a proposal; therefore it has no effect on existing AFCARS requirements and procedures.
AFCARS NPRM Briefing by the Children’s Bureau
On February 13, 2008, the Children’s Bureau presented a webinar briefing on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on AFCARS 2.0. The presentation is available below in various formats, including the complete webinar presentation with audio.
AFCARS File Transfer with Cyberfusion
In early July 2009, ACF informed the States that Cyberfusion is set to replace the existing Connect:Direct software used in transferring AFCARS files. Reference notice to CW Administrators_07102009-122140 for details. The conversion to the new software must be completed in time for the fall submission of the 2009B AFCARS data, October 1, 2009. Instructions for Cyberfusion conversion and testing, along with State group assignments, can be found in Enclosures for CW Administrators_07102009-122140.
AFCARS Technical Assistance
The NRC-CWDT is available to provide customized, State-specific technical assistance in all areas of AFCARS data collection and reporting. In addition to giving the State a better understanding of its child welfare practice, the AFCARS data are used for a number of purposes by the Federal government. Those uses include the Annual Child Welfare Report to Congress, the data profile related to the Child and Family Services Reviews, and funding allocations for the Chafee Independent Living Program and the Adoption Incentive Program. AFCARS technical assistance may include:
AFCARS Overview and Review of Federal Definitions and Policy Guidance
This technical assistance will provide a review of the AFCARS elements and reporting requirements, including population selection issues. State program and technical staff will be briefed on the official definitions of elements and any additional guidance that is available to provide clarification.
Data Quality Issues Arising from Policy, Worker Training, SACWIS Design, and Conversion
The specific issues covered in this option will depend on the needs identified by the State. Data quality issues may arise from one or more aspects of data collection and reporting. The technical assistance team can review AFCARS definitions and reporting requirements. They can help the State assess the impact that issues ranging from State policy/practice nuances to SACWIS screen design may have on how well the data reflect the child welfare practice. Also included is a review of the tools available from the Children’s Bureau to assist with evaluating data quality (i.e., Data Compliance Utility and Data Quality Utility).
Program Logic and/or Mapping Documentation Review
This documentation review is an examination of the State’s translation of data from its child welfare information system into an AFCARS report. The review evaluates whether the logic specified in mapping documents is consistent with Federal guidance and, should the State desire, an examination of how accurately the program code implements the requirements laid out in the mapping documents.
Following the onsite technical assistance, a detailed report that includes findings and recommendations will be provided to the State. The NRC-CWDT will be available to provide ongoing support as the State prioritizes and implements changes.
Technical assistance will be customized to meet the State’s needs, and may include onsite meetings, conference calls and webinars, and/or peer consultation. We strongly encourage technical, data and program staff from the State to participate in the technical assistance. Requests for on-site technical assistance must be approved in advance by the appropriate Children’s Bureau Regional Office, however, consultation with the NRC-CWDT is welcome and encouraged.
To make a request or find out more about AFCARS Technical Assistance from the NRC-CWDT, please contact us at nrccwdt@cwla.org.
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