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. The regulations were updated via the final rule published in May 2020 (85 FR 28410) and again in December 2024 (89 FR 96569) with the requirement for additional data related to the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA). The first submission of the new data related to ICWA is May 15, 2029. ACF is requesting a revision of the AFCARS OMB approval. Sixty-two data elements have been added to AFCARS, per a December 2024 final rule. This has increased the burden for reporting for state child welfare agencies only.

The latest form for Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) expires 2029-10-31 and is listed under ICR 202606-0970-022.

View the official OMB control history on Reginfo.gov.

Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System - State Recordkeeping

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Community and Social Services - Social Services