National Foster Parent Association Newsletter - April 2026

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

Arnie Eby, NFPA Executive Director

April is a meaningful time of reflection and action as we recognize both National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Autism Awareness Month.

Together, these observances remind us that our shared goals are to protect, support and uplift children of all abilities and life experiences.

As Foster and Adoptive parents, each day our mission is to strengthen families, promote safe and nurturing environments, and ensure every child is seen, heard, and valued. 

By working together to both raise awareness and to foster understanding that each child's background and approach to life are unique, we can create a positive impact on the children in our care and can create communities where kids can thrive.

Are you joining us for our 55th Education Conference?

Registration Opens May 1st!

Dates: September 27th - 30th

Location: Crystal City, Virginia

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 are important, as is the chance to hear from policy makers and experts in the field. We'll be working together with FASD United for this year's event. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn, to network, and to make your voice heard.

SCHEDULE

The National Foster Parent Association extends our heartfelt condolences to the Dondiego family on the passing of child welfare advocate Sue Dondiego.

Sue was a cherished member of the NFPA community whose dedication to children and families in foster care left a lasting impact on our organization and the countless lives she touched.Throughout her years of service, Sue played an important role in advancing the mission of NFPA. Her commitment to supporting foster parents and advocating for the wellbeing of children in care was evident in her leadership, her generosity of spirit, and her unwavering belief in the power of strong, supported families.

Sue was also instrumental in supporting NFPA’s annual education conferences, where she helped lead and grow the silent auction into a meaningful and successful fundraising effort that directly benefited our programs.

Sue was known not only for her service, but for the joy and personality she brought with her, especially her incredible hats, which became a signature part of her presence at our events. Those hats brought smiles, sparked conversations, and reflected the warmth and vibrancy she shared so freely with others. They will be deeply missed, just as she will be.

We are profoundly grateful for Sue’s many contributions and the legacy she leaves behind. Her passion and dedication will continue to inspire all of us who carry forward this important work. In honor of Sue and her family’s enduring commitment to children in foster care, NFPA will continue to celebrate her legacy through the Dondiego Family Youth Scholarship Fund. This scholarship stands as a meaningful tribute to the family’s impact and ensures that Sue’s spirit of support and opportunity lives on in future generations.

Sue will be greatly missed, but her broad influence will remain a guiding light for our organization and the foster care community.

April is dedicated to awareness and prevention of child abuse in all forms.

Each year,

• Over 530,000 children (7 in every thousand) are subjected to some form of abuse.

• Around 3 million children annually have an investigation into their well-being by child protective services.

Source: https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/media-room/national-statistics-on-child-abuse/

Foster parents work hard every day to give these children a steadier foundation and a sense of safety, and many have seen first-hand how abuse can have impacts on the mental and physical health of all children. Caregivers managing the results of abuse must understand how it can manifest, and have techniques to manage the behavior.

NFPATI Courses Regarding Child Trauma and Healing

Steps Toward Change: Replacing Trauma Bond with Healing Relationships

Getting on the Right PATH: Promoting Attachment and Trauma Healing for Caregivers

Helping Kids Succeed Because of What They've Been Through

ADHD vs. Trauma in Foster Children

Introduction to Complex Trauma (3 Parts)

Autism Speaks says about this month of recognition:

April is World Autism Month.  The voices of autistic people, families, and advocates are louder than ever and the momentum for progress is real.

Together with the autism community, Autism Speaks is focused on the future: advancing health and longevity, expanding purpose and opportunity, and strengthening community and living supports for autistic people across the lifespan. We are elevating the experiences and needs of adults with autism and individuals with profound autism, ensuring their voices, their families, and their futures are front and center.

This is our moment. This is our movement. Let’s Redefine Possible. Join us.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/

Quick Stats

• About 1 in 31 children is the U.S. has autism, and 1 in 45 adults. 

• 4x as many boys as girls will be diagnosed.

• Autism can be diagnosed by a specialist by age 2, but the average age of diagnosis is 5 years.

• 74% of autistic students graduate with a diploma, compared to 86% of non-autistic children.

• While only 21% of people with disabilities are employed, nearly 60% of people with autism in the U.S. are employed after receiving vocational rehab.

Source: https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd

March 18 was National Child Exploitation Awareness Day (#CEADay) — a moment to highlight the issues surrounding online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Even though that official day has passed, it's never too late to learn how to protect children from this type of abuse, especially during this Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Preventing these crimes is possible when more people know how to spot the warning signs and take the right steps toward online safety. Online spaces have created new pathways for offenders to target, manipulate and exploit kids and teens. Only together through awareness and action can these criminals be stopped.

This year’s emphasis is Prevention Through Partnerships, reinforcing a core Know2Protect® value: Safeguarding works best when families, schools and communities work together, sharing responsibility, to help prevent online child exploitation and abuse.

Key actions and messages to reinforce your outreach:

• Think, spot and speak out: Trust your instincts, watch for warning signs and report concerns early. Families, schools, youth-serving organizations and other community groups play an important role in prevention. Exploitation can surface anywhere online, so awareness and reporting are key to stopping it. 
• Zero tolerance for grooming, coercion, blackmail or extortion. This includes peer-on-peer harm linked to “Sadistic Online Exploitation (SOE)” tactics. Review and share Know2Protect’s “Tips2Protect Against Sadistic Online Exploitation” guide to learn the warning signs and steps to take if SOE against a teen or kid is suspected. 
• Empower and enable protection Know2Protect resources. Visit know2protect.gov for online safety tools including online safety checklists, password and privacy tips, location-setting guidance and reporting pathways such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.
• Bring prevention education to your community. Consider requesting a Project iGuardian™ presentation, delivered by Homeland Security Investigations and tailored for parents/trusted adults, teens and tweens. Request presentations via email at iguardian.hq@hsi.dhs.gov.

know2protect's Pledge2Protect program has over 300,000 people who have pledged to protect themselves and others from online child exploitation and abuse.

Learn more, and take the pledge 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. Over 41,000 certificates of completion have been awarded! 

On March 26, 2026, Debbie Riley, LCMFT, CEO of the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies during the hearing, Advancing Permanency in Child Welfare: Leveraging Federal Funding for Adoption Programs, which focused on how federal investments can strengthen permanency and outcomes for children and families.

NFPA's Executive Director Arnie Eby was also invited to attend this important hearing. (Hover on the photo above to see Arnie in the session).

Grassley Recognizes Trump Administration’s Foster Care Initiatives, Highlights Legislation to Bolster Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention

Link to Full Article and Commentary

Alex J. Adams is the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families. Learn More >>

S. 162 - Recruiting Families Using Data Act

Learn More >> 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.

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.

New $5,000 Tax Credit Refundability from Adoptions in 2020-2024

Good news for tax credit advocates! Our efforts, along with other members of the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group and members of Congress, has lead to the IRS revisiting their interpretation of the new 2025 refundability applying to carryforward from adoptions completed between 2020-2024. 

We are happy to report that they will be able to access $5,000 per child as refundable on their 2025 taxes. 

We don't know yet how that will work, but it will probably be available sometime after April 15th. Families Rising has been a leader of the Federal Adoption Tax Credit for 25 years and will provide updates on how families can access it once we have information from the IRS.

We learned of this during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing exchange between Chairman Smith and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano, which can be listened to at the link below (the exchange begins at 34:44 and is about three minutes long).

Watch the Video Here

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Become a Friend of the NFPA

We are committed to working to ensure that foster families have the support and services they require to best meet the needs of the children in their care.

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. Learn more here.

Need copies of our NFPA Trifold for your next event??

Would you like to include information about the National Foster Parent Association in your conference or meeting materials?

Please see THIS PAGE to either download a printable file that you can print directly (feel free to print any number you'd like), or to request copies of the TriFold from the NFPA. Requests are subject to our available inventory.

www.nfpaonline.org

800-557-5238