National Foster Parent Association Newsletter - February 2026

The NFPA is a respected national voice for Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Parents through Networking, Education and Advocacy.

Arnie Eby, NFPA Executive Director

Executive Director Arnie Eby was in Washington, D.C. this month, and had a special opportunity to spend time with Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the sponsor of S.162, 'Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025'.

With Arnie is Treva Johnson, the Director of Public Policy and State Partnerships at FFTA, and Amanda Cruce, lead of our NFPA Council of State Affiliates.

Our focus for 2026 is creating and advocating for resources that provide tangible impact in the lives of Foster, Adoptive and Kinship parents.

We encourage you to visit our Resources for Impact event page to review the incredible set of resources provided by our Town Hall Presenters.

Stay tuned to these newsletters, Facebook and X to stay abreast of developments for our September conference, 'Together for Impact'. This will be our 55th Education Conference at the NFPA!

Head over to NFPATI.org to see the 5 new training sessions we've made available under 'Featured and New Courses'.

Are there resources YOU would like to see that would support you in your role as a caregiver? Please let us know.

Arnie

2025 Federal Tax Guide for Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Parents

A former NFPA Board Member says:

After 12 years of foster parenting, I found the tax guide instrumental in saving me $1,000 the year I found it and nearly $10,000 the following year.  The membership tax guide pays for the entire NFPA membership year after year.

Here are some additional tax-related resources to get you started.

• NFPA Tax Info for Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Parents

• 'What Taxpayers can Do to Get Ready for the 2026 Tax Filing Season'.

• Treasury, IRS issue guidance on Trump Accounts established under the Working Families Tax Cuts; notice announces upcoming regulations

• National Council for Adoption (NCFA), 'How to Afford Adoption: Financial Help, Tax Credits, Adoption Grants, and More'

Black History Month invites us to honor resilience, leadership, and the generations who shaped our nation. As foster parents and advocates, may we uplift Black children, families, and communities through understanding, equity, and action—today and always. 

Review the rich library of information shared during our Resources for Impact Town Hall meeting. These include presentations and downloadable resources by/regarding:

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

• C.A.S.E.

• DHS

• DHHS

• FASD United

• ABA Center for Children and the Law

• Sleep Study results

• Rooted and Ready

INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE

In one of our sessions, we held an open discussion with the attendees on a series of questions designed to add to the NFPA's understanding of the needs of our constituents.

• What does NFPA Membership mean to you, and what does it provide?

• What tools, information and resources do you need to fill the needs you experience as a caregiver?

• How should funding be used to provide the biggest impact to caregivers?

We're already making use of the information that we gathered to establish plans for 2026 and beyond, but we'd like to have more feedback from YOU!

Please consider taking a moment to visit the page to answer a few targeted questions.

NFPA's 55th Education Conference

This year is all about creating real IMPACT for caregivers. We know that by working together and pooling our talents we can create the biggest impact of all. Opportunities to gather with fellow Foster, Adoptive and Kinship parents is important, as is the chance to hear from policy makers and experts in the field. Join us for 'Together for Impact', our 55th annual Education Conference!

Please save the date and make plans to join us September 28th - 30th in Crystal City, Virginia. We'll be working together with FASD United for this year's event, so you won't want to miss it.

Stay tuned to ConnectU, Facebook, X and our website for details as they become available.

PRESS RELEASE

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today launched a new public dashboard showing state-by-state performance data on critical child safety and permanency outcomes. Publishing the first-ever Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Data Profile Dashboard demonstrates ACF’s progress toward delivering on President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s Executive Order on “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families,” which requires an annual public scorecard that measures state child welfare system performance.[i]

Given the Trump Administration’s commitment to providing a historic level of transparency for the American people, these initial dashboards will inform better data-driven decisions in child welfare. For the first time, these dashboards give state child welfare agencies the ability to compare progress with each other, which ACF hopes will enable states to identify, collaborate on, and scale best practices to further innovation in child welfare.

"Good data drives better decisions for America's children," said Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams. "Under the leadership of the President and First Lady Melania Trump, we are delivering radical transparency in child welfare so the federal government, state leaders, advocates, and families can more efficiently work together to ensure children in foster care are safe and growing up in loving homes.”

This dashboard represents only the starting point for data visualization as outlined in the Fostering the Future Executive Order, with ACF planning to iterate on the current dashboard to create more user-friendly interfaces with expanded comparison tools. Future modernization efforts will test a more succinct scorecard fully aligned with the goals of the Executive Order for improved outcomes for children and families.

The initial public dashboard presents seven statewide data indicators – two safety indicators examining whether children are protected from abuse and neglect once involved with the child welfare system, and five permanency indicators that evaluate whether children achieve stability and permanency in their living situations. Each indicator uses standardized methodology to ensure fair comparisons across states with different demographics and case characteristics.

Previously, these seven performance indicators were only shared internally within the Children's Bureau and state systems. ACF will update the dashboard bi-annually to provide consistent information of states’ progress. As states join ACF’s new Program Improvement Plan, additional data on key measures will be updated monthly, allowing meaningful cross-state comparisons.

The CFSR Data Profile Dashboard is available at https://acf.gov/cb/data-research/data-and-statistics-cfsr-statewide-data-indicators.

Join FFTA in Washington, D.C., May 18 - 19 as we share information and resources to enact real change in our country and our communities. The FFTA Public Policy Institute unites family-serving professionals, passionate champions, lived-experts, cross-sector partners, and community stakeholders to advance policies that prioritize the well-being of children, families, and communities.

As we face once in a generation shifts in federal policy and rules, this moment offers not only challenge but possibility. It calls us to align around what matters most and to work together at a scale that meets the changes ahead. With many viewpoints present, we are grounded in a shared commitment that clarifies where we anchor, when we adapt, and how we act. PPI 2026 will turn a period of transition into a solid sense of direction and collective strength, moving us toward a future where every family has the support they need—and every child has the chance to thrive.

The two-day program will include a policy and program spotlight session Monday morning, off-site Community Impact Visits into downtown Washington, D.C. Monday afternoon and legislative meetings on Tuesday morning.

See the event schedule and register HERE.

Have you signed up for a FREE NFPATI account? If not, head on over, sign up and start learning today! It's available 24/7, and you'll receive a certificate for each course that you complete. Almost 41,000 certificates of completion have been awarded! 

ATTACh Conference 2026:

'Healing Connections, The Heart of the Matter'

Registration for the April, 2026 ATTACh conference is now open!

The NFPA is partnering in the development of the sessions that are dedicated to healing developmental trauma and attachment. 

Visit their web page to learn more.

Print the event flyer HERE.

Webinar Recording: Data-Driven Strategies to Recruit, Retain and Support Foster Families

In last month's ConnectU, we shared that ED Arnie Eby would be a panelist on a webinar hosted by CCAI, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. 

A recording of this informative session can be found HERE.

Family Justice Journal Special Edition 2026

The Winter Special Issue 2026 of the Family Justice Journal, "Points of Light" is now available on the Family Justice Group website. We are very proud of this collection of articles by a group of outstanding authors.

Views this edition HERE.

Child Welfare League of America

Bill to Follow in the 119th Congress

(2025 - 2026)

S.162 - Recruiting Families Using Data Act

Status: Formerly HR 579 This bill has passed the House and is now known as S 162 now that it's in the Senate, and is sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley (pictured with Arnie Eby, above).

Makes the diligent recruitment plan requirements of Title IV-B more robust and requires states to use a data-driven approach for identifying potential foster parents.

The NFPA has been actively involved in the presentation of this bill to the House of Representatives, and will continue to follow and support it now that it's in the Senate.

View the BPC's most recent Human Capital Newsletter HERE. 

Topics include:

• The Child Care and Development Fund: How Recent Administrative Actions May Impact States, Families, and the Workforce

• Reading and Literacy Skills Among Top Education Priorities in New Poll
  

• Transferring K-12 Programs to Labor: Why Costs and Logistics Could Be a Problem for States and Schools
  

• Why America Needs a National Paid Parental Leave Policy
  

• Charting the Course: A Blueprint for Child Welfare Financing and Accountability Reform
  

• And more.

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By joining as a Friend of the NFPA at the tier that best suits you - Champion ($50/mo), Hero ($25/mo) or Advocate ($15/mo) - you become a vital partner in helping us to provide those supports.

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