Legal Definitions - Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act

The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act is a federal law passed in 1980. Its purpose is to ensure that states make reasonable efforts to:

1. Avoid removing children from their homes
2. Reunite families when children have been removed due to abuse or neglect
3. Terminate parental rights and place children in permanent homes when reunification fails

The Act provides funding for foster care placement, Child Protective Services, family preservation and reunification, and foster care reform to states that comply with the Act. Its goal is to prevent unnecessary removal of children from their homes and to return children in foster care to their families as quickly as possible.

For example, if a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, the state must make reasonable efforts to reunite the child with their family. If reunification is not possible, the state must work to find a permanent home for the child.

The Adoption and Safe Families Act is a federal law passed in 1997. Its primary focus is on the safety and well-being of the child, rather than the rights of the parents. The Act requires states to provide safe and permanent homes for abused and neglected children within shorter periods than those required by earlier state and federal laws.

For example, if a child has been in foster care for a certain amount of time, the state must work to find a permanent home for the child, even if that means terminating parental rights. The Act aims to ensure that children are not left in foster care for extended periods without a permanent home.