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State Agency Approaches to Use of Temporary Emergency Placements in Foster Care

Announced on  | Last Modified on  | Project Number: A-07-24-06114
Status
Completed
Agency
Administration for Children and Families

OBJECTIVE

The Federal Foster Care Program, which is administered at the Federal level by the Administration for Children and Families, helps States provide safe and stable out-of-home care for children. We plan to conduct a nationwide audit that focuses on related aspects of State agencies' efforts to ensure the safety of children in foster care placements. Our audit will examine the States' use of temporary emergency placements not designed to house children, such as hotels or offices, when a permanent placement is unavailable.

TIMELINE

REPORT PUBLISHED

National Overview of State-Level Challenges and Efforts To Minimize or Eliminate Temporary Emergency Placements in Foster Care (A-07-24-06114)

States’ responses to our questionnaire described a wide range of strategies to minimize or eliminate the use of temporary emergency placements that might not be safe or might not best meet the children’s needs. The 34 State agencies that tracked their use of temporary emergency placements to house children in foster care reported a total of 15,705 stays in these placements during the period January 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. (Some children were housed in multiple temporary emergency placements.) In addition:

  • Despite ongoing efforts to reduce the use of temporary emergency placements, States frequently reported persistent challenges in securing appropriate foster care placements, particularly for children with complex or special needs.
  • Other factors that increased States’ reliance on temporary emergency placements included difficulties in placing older children, challenges stemming from the COVID-19 public health emergency, and the impact of illicit drug use.
  • States also described strategies to minimize or eliminate the use of temporary emergency placements.
  • Consistent and accurate data reporting on temporary emergency placements can reveal systemic challenges, such as a shortage of foster homes or difficulties in recruiting and retaining foster parents.

26-A-07-085.01 to ACF - Open Unimplemented
Update expected on 01/27/2027
We recommend that ACF consider the information in this report and work with State agencies to improve data collection and reporting on the use of temporary emergency placements for children in the Federal Foster Care Program, which, in turn, can be used to promote the health and safety of children who are in these placements.

View in Recommendation Tracker
Work Plan Type
Office of Audit Services
HHS Agencies
Administration for Children and Families
Issue Areas
Contracts Dependent Care Financial Stewardship Public Health Issues Quality of Care
Target Groups
Children and Families
Financial Groups
Grants