Guardianship is another type of permanency whereby a child gains the legal security of a guardian and is removed from the administrative responsibility of the child welfare system if the child is in foster care, but the process does not require termination of birthparents’ parental rights. Subsidized guardianship enables those becoming guardians of children in foster care to receive a monthly subsidy to assist with the child’s care. The Fostering Connections Act allows states to use federal funds to support subsidized guardianships. The number of youth leaving foster care through guardianship has increased since FFY 2000 when 9,043 children (3%) did so. By 2009, guardianship was achieved for over 19,000 children, or 7% of those who left care that year (AFCARS).
For the most recent figures, see AFCARS reports:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/afcars
Subsidized Guardianship – Summary and Analysis, Grandfamilies.org
http://www2.grandfamilies.org/SubsidizedGuardianship/SubsidizedGuardianshipSummaryAnalysis.aspx
Increase Exits from Foster Care to Permanence through Guardianship. Center for the Study of Social Policy. Policy For Results:
http://www.policyforresults.org/child-welfare/increase-exits-from-foster-care-to-permanence-through-guardianship
Research on Benefits and Outcomes of Subsidized Guardianships:
Never Too Old: Achieving Permanency and Sustaining Connections for Older Youth in Foster Care, July, 2011, Donaldson Adoption Institute, pp. 42-48.
http://adoptioninstitute.org/old/publications/2011_07_21_NeverTooOld.pdf
Subsidized Guardianship: Testing the Effectiveness of an Idea Whose Time Has Finally Come, May, 2008, University of Illinois Children and Family Research Center.
http://www.nrcadoption.org/wp-content/uploads/Subsidized-Guardianship-Testing-Effectiveness-Testa-2008.pdf
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/afcars
Subsidized Guardianship – Summary and Analysis, Grandfamilies.org
http://www2.grandfamilies.org/SubsidizedGuardianship/SubsidizedGuardianshipSummaryAnalysis.aspx
Increase Exits from Foster Care to Permanence through Guardianship. Center for the Study of Social Policy. Policy For Results:
http://www.policyforresults.org/child-welfare/increase-exits-from-foster-care-to-permanence-through-guardianship
Research on Benefits and Outcomes of Subsidized Guardianships:
Never Too Old: Achieving Permanency and Sustaining Connections for Older Youth in Foster Care, July, 2011, Donaldson Adoption Institute, pp. 42-48.
http://adoptioninstitute.org/old/publications/2011_07_21_NeverTooOld.pdf
Subsidized Guardianship: Testing the Effectiveness of an Idea Whose Time Has Finally Come, May, 2008, University of Illinois Children and Family Research Center.
http://www.nrcadoption.org/wp-content/uploads/Subsidized-Guardianship-Testing-Effectiveness-Testa-2008.pdf
