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Vermont Child Welfare Policy Luncheon

National child welfare experts – including David Laird, MSW, director of government affairs and policy at Voices for America’s Children, and Sania Metzger, Esq., director of policy at the Annie E. Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services – joined state officials, advocates, and practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the landmark federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 and how it can be implemented effectively in Vermont.

More than 1,400 children and youth currently are in Vermont’s foster care system, and all of these youth could potentially benefit from new federal legislation that seeks to connect more children with families and smooth the transition to adulthood.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services, Voices for Vermont’s Children, and the Vermont Department for Children and Families sponsored the event, held April 28, 2009, in Montpelier.

Materials

• Download the event program with speaker profiles (PDF).
• View the presentation from Laird and Metzger summarizing the Fostering Connections Act (PDF).
• Read the news release on the policy luncheon.