A Systematic Review on the Impact of ASFA on the Outcomes of Children and Birth Families Involved in the Foster Care System

Abstract

Following PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review assessed the impact of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) on the foster care population; adoption, reunification, and TPR rates; and foster care durations. The search was carried out from July 13, 2023 to July 15, 2023 and yielded twenty studies published between 1998 and 2023. Due to a lack of pre-ASFA data, most studies’ results were limited. Comparison was further complicated by local differences in ASFA implementation. While the foster care population declined and the adoption rates rose, whether these changes could be attributed to ASFA is less clear.