Danny Davis

  Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and several Democrat co-sponsors have added to the legislation piling up this session to help grandparents and other relatives caring for the children of loved ones.

The congressional effort to provide tax incentives for hiring current and former foster youths has resurfaced, with bills that could be introduced in both chambers as early as today. The Improved Employment Outcomes for Foster Youth Act would provide tax credits of up to $2,400 to employers who hire current and former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 27.

With dismal statistics like the average reading level of a 17-year-old in foster care being that of a seventh grader and less than 60 percent of children who age out of foster care graduating high school by age 19 compared to almost 90 percent of the general population, Children’s Rights is launching its fifth annual Fostering the Future campaign.

The field of child welfare is brimming with policy proposals and legislation that could dramatically change the way the federal government invests in foster care and families on the brink. What’s more, some appear to have bipartisan support or the potential for it.