WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, leaders of the Caucus on Foster Youth, today announced a panel discussion on promoting policies that allow grandparents or other family members to care for foster youth. The panel discussion on Wednesday, May 6, at 10 a.m. in 215 Capitol Visitors Center will take place during National Foster Care Month. The discussion is among several events the senators have planned for the month.
Details follow. The event is open to congressional staff, the public and the media.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
10:00 am
Capitol Visitors Center (SVC) 215
Approximately 400,000 youth are currently in the foster care system, and over 100,000 of them are cared for by grandparents and other extended family members. Kinship care improves youth stability, helps keep siblings together, preserves family ties and connections to cultural heritage, and reduces the over-reliance on congregate care. More can be done at the federal level to increase the use of kinship care. For the 23,000 youth who age out of the system each year, kinship care could provide them with essential ongoing connections to family and community. This event will be an open forum for advocates, child welfare organizations, providers and congressional staff to learn about and discuss kinship care policies.
Sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley and Debbie Stabenow,
Co-Chairs of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth
-30-