ACF Rule Expands Access To Legal Aid For Children & Families

On May 10, 2024, the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a final rule to expand access to legal representation for children eligible for title IV-E foster care, their parents, kinship caregivers, Indian custodians, and tribes. The final rule allows state and tribal child welfare agencies to use federal funds to provide legal representation. The rule is effective on July 9, 2024.

The final rule emphasized that it does not compel state and local child welfare agencies to access title IV-E federal financial participation (FFP) for the administrative cost of independent legal representation and to fund . . .