ASFA Meaning and
Definition
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ASFA stands for the Adoption and Safe Families Act. It is a United States federal law that was enacted in 1997 with the purpose of ensuring the safety and well-being of children in the foster care system. The main goal of ASFA is to promote and facilitate timely permanency for children who are unable to return to their birth families.
Under ASFA, child welfare agencies are required to work towards achieving permanency for children in foster care by either returning them to their birth families, finding them an adoptive family, or placing them in another permanent living arrangement. The law specifies specific timelines for achieving permanency goals, emphasizing the need for expeditious decision-making and reducing the amount of time children spend in foster care.
ASFA also introduced several other provisions and changes to the child welfare system. It prioritized the importance of ensuring the child's health and safety as paramount, increasing the accountability and monitoring of child welfare agencies. Additionally, it emphasized the importance of maintaining sibling connections and the child's cultural heritage in placement decisions.
Furthermore, ASFA provided increased funding for adoption services, including support for pre- and post-adoption services to ensure successful permanency outcomes for children and families involved in the adoption process.
Overall, ASFA is a significant piece of legislation that aims to safeguard the best interests of children in the foster care system by promoting permanency and timely decision-making.
Common Misspellings for ASFA
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