Policy & Practice | Spring 2026

President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “This is not simply a capacity issue. It is a systems alignment issue.”

well-being. Yet workers often spend hours searching records to understand family relationships and identify potential kin placements. Technology can streamline that process, helping staff visualize connections quickly and keep those maps updated. These tools provide clearer insight into placement availability and perma nency progress, reduce administrative burden, and increase the likelihood that relatives are identified and engaged early. When technology is designed with frontline practice in mind, it becomes a capacity multiplier that supports the workforce while strengthening outcomes for children. State Leadership Shapes the Future of Human Services Ensuring that every child has a home requires alignment beyond policy change. States that invest in prevention, strengthen kinship care, use data effectively, prioritize perma nency, and modernize their systems will be best positioned to lead the next era of child welfare. By supporting counties and local agencies with clear priorities and the right tools, states can translate today’s policy shifts into lasting outcomes for children and families. Reference Notes 1. Administration for Children and Families. Federal child welfare initiatives, A Home for Every Child , Child and Family Services 2. Child Trends. Research on economic hardship and Child Protective Services involvement 3. Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. Outcomes research on family preservation and foster care. 4. Casey Family Programs. Research on trauma and family separation. 5. Generations United. Fact Sheet: Children Thrive in Grandfamilies. 6. Administration for Children and Families. National child welfare data dashboards and reporting modernization. 7. Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. National foster care statistics and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids evaluation. 8. Child Welfare Wonk. “How Access to Behavioral Health Services Shapes Permanency Outcomes.” Reviews updates, and Family First Prevention Services Act guidance.

New public dashboards launched by the Administration for Children and Families are part of that shift. They provide greater transparency into state performance while reducing duplica tive reporting requirements.⁶ The goal is not more data, but better use of the information already avail able. When states analyze placement patterns, service access, and perma nency timelines in real time, they gain a clearer understanding of where the system is working and where children may be getting stuck. Data can help leaders identify placement capacity gaps, understand service needs, and guide invest ments that support both children and families. When used effectively, these insights help bridge the gap between policy goals and day-to-day practice. “For too long, child welfare has measured compliance more than whether children are actually safe and connected. The recent federal shifts create real opportunity because they give states space to focus on outcomes instead of paperwork. No one enters this work to check boxes. They enter to help children heal, develop, and thrive,” said Cancel. Through Adoption While prevention and kinship care play critical roles, adoption remains an essential path to permanency for many children in foster care. Today, more than 100,000 children in the United States are waiting to be adopted, and nearly 20,000 age out of foster care each year without perma nent families.⁷ Organizations such as the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption work with states and agencies to accelerate permanency for every child through research-based practices, grant funding, and technical assistance. “The question for states is not whether achieving legal permanency matters, but how urgently we work together to 4. Recommit to Permanency

The Foundation’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program is

dedicated to finding permanent homes for the longest-waiting children in foster care. Using a child focused recruitment model, the search for the right family begins within a child’s network of family, including extended family members, friends, and others who already care for them and can meet their needs. A rigorous, five-year national evalua tion conducted by Child Trends found that youth referred to the program are up to three times more likely to be adopted.⁷ For state leaders, recommitting to adoption means aligning policy expectations, data systems, and front line practices around the shared goal of permanency. Reducing delays, supporting consistent recruitment strategies, and prioritizing family con nections can help ensure that more children move quickly and safely into permanent homes. Permanency is not only a child- centered outcome. It also strengthens the stability of the broader child welfare system. Purpose-Built Technology Even the most thoughtful policy reforms depend on the tools avail able to implement them. Many child welfare agencies still rely on outdated systems that require workers to spend significant time on documentation and administrative tasks. “Modern data systems should reduce administrative burden so caseworkers can spend more time with families,” said Cancel. Modern technology can help rebal ance that workload. By simplifying documentation, improving data visibility, and mapping family relation ships more clearly, digital tools allow caseworkers to focus more time on children and families.⁶ 5. Modernize Child Welfare Through

make that possible for every waiting child,” said Rita L. Soronen,

Strong family connections are critical to safety, stability, and

Rita L. Soronen

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Spring 2026 Policy & Practice