PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS TAKING ACTION TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA’S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS TAKING ACTION TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA’S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES  “All children deserve a stable, supportive, and loving home in which to grow, thrive, and realize their full potential.” – President Donald J. Trump IMPROVING OUTCOMES: President Donald J. Trump is taking monumental action to strengthen America’s foster care and adoption system, promoting better outcomes for children and families. President Trump is issuing an Executive Order that will enhance our child welfare system and promote permanency for children in the foster care system nationwide. Among other changes, the Order seeks to increase partnerships between public, private, faith-based, and community organizations to help keep families together and, when that is not possible, to find children forever families. It improves the resources available to both caregivers and children, including by increasing the accessibility of trauma-informed training. The Order will also drive transparency on key statutory child welfare requirements and guide States on how best to support high-quality legal representation for parents and children. Taken together, these actions demonstrate President Trump’s commitment to ensure the welfare of America’s children and promote safe, stable families. PROTECTING VULNERABLE YOUTH: Through this Order, President Trump is taking deliberate action to protect the lives and well-being of young Americans and children. It is critical that we strengthen our foster care and adoption system in order to improve the outcomes experienced by America’s children and youth and promote permanent homes. There are currently more than 400,000 children and youth in foster care in the United States, with many waiting years to find permanency with a family. Each year, close to 20,000 youth age out of care without the support of a forever family to help them navigate their entry into adulthood and support them as they pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, youth that age out without the support of a permanent home are shown to experience higher rates of homelessness, incarceration, and unemployment. Each and every child deserves a forever family, and the Trump Administration is working with partners at all levels to champion this cause and ensure that no child is forgotten. UPLIFTING AMERICA’S CHILDREN: President Trump has taken decisive action to ensure America’s children and families thrive. The Trump Administration has issued a national challenge to find permanent homes for all children and youth who are waiting for forever families. In February 2018, the President signed into law the landmark Family First Prevention Services Act – the most sweeping legislation to impact Federal child welfare financing and programs in decades. Last year, the President signed further legislation to encourage States to fully implement this Act as quickly as feasible. President Trump signed into law the CARES Act, which distributed $45 million in grants to States, territories, and tribes to support the child welfare needs of families impacted by coronavirus. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the work of his Administration, the number of children entering foster care in recent years has declined considerably.