Fostering the Future for American Children and Families

The order aims to improve outcomes for children in foster care, ease transitions to adulthood, and remove barriers for diverse caregiver families, including those with religious convictions.

What the order does ​

• Modernizes state child welfare data systems and reporting.
• Encourages use of tech, including AI, for better caregiver recruitment and matching.
• Publishes annual state scorecards on key foster care outcomes.
• Launches "Fostering the Future" initiative for education, employment, and guidance for current and former foster youth.
• Creates an online platform linking foster youth to relevant resources and custom support plans.
• Reallocates unused federal funds to educational and job advancement for foster youth.
• Expands eligibility for career-training vouchers.
• Promotes use of scholarship donations for foster children’s education.
• Seeks to end restrictions on faith-based organizations and individuals serving as foster/adoptive caregivers.
• Strengthens partnerships between government and faith-based or nonprofit organizations.

Who it affects ​

• Children and youth in foster care or transitioning out.
• Foster and adoptive families, including faith-based caregivers.
• State and local child welfare agencies.
• Nonprofits and private sector partners supporting foster youth.

Context ​

The order targets long-standing issues with lengthy foster care stays, uncertain transitions to adulthood, an overburdened system, and barriers for faith-driven caregivers.