Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)

State and tribal title IV-E agencies are required to report Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) case-level information on all children in foster care and children who have been adopted or placed in a guardianship with title IV-E agency involvement. AFCARS is a data collection system for national adoption and foster care data authorized under section 479 of the Social Security Act (the Act). Section 479(c)(3)(A) of the Act requires the collection of comprehensive national information with respect to the demographic characteristics of children in foster care and those who are adopted with state involvement and their biological, foster, and adoptive parents. The regulation at 45 CFR 1355 sets forth the requirements of the Act for the collection of uniform, reliable information on children who are under the responsibility of the state or tribal title IV-B/IV-E agency for placement, care, guardianship, and adoption. States have been required to submit the AFCARS data since 1993. Tribes that operate a title IV-E program have been required to submit AFCARS data since 2012. The regulations were updated via the final rule published in May 2020 (85 FR 28410). The new regulations expanded the paradigm of data to be reported, revised some of the current data elements, and added some new elements. Those changes were incorporated previously; this request is for an extension with no changes.

The latest form for Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) expires 2026-07-31 and is listed under ICR 202305-0970-011.

Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System - Recordkeeping

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Community and Social Services - Social Services