Permanency of Reunification: Definitions for Foster Care Entry and Re-entry To Promote Consistency in State Data Reporting for the Federal Outcome Measure. First Edition, Final Version

December 1, 2007 This report by Carrie Friedman presents the National Working Group to Improve Child Welfare Data (NWG) definitions for foster care entry and re-entry. The NWG seeks to promote consistency among States in their Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) submissions through the development of common definitions. A survey conducted by the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) illustrated definitional disparities in the way States report AFCARS data used for the federal measures pertaining to reunification and re-entry. In order to supplement the NWG reunification definitions and promote more consistency in the federal . . .