The agency may place the foster child in  the home of a relative or with unrelated foster parents. TANF Child-Only Cases Have Increased Slightly, and the Composition of the Caseload Varies by State

The TANF child-only caseload increased slightly between fiscal years  2000 and 2008, but comprised a greater share of the overall TANF  caseload because TANF cases with adults in the assistance unit  decreased substantially. 1). The majority of families who  received TANF child-only assistance included children living with parents  who were ineligible for cash assistance, and about one-third included  children living with nonparent caregivers. For example, as reported  through our survey, almost 60 percent of TANF child-only cases in  Tennessee included children living with nonparent caregivers, compared  with 31 percent in Texas. Research suggests that many relative caregivers receiving cash  assistance have low incomes and health problems. 4). Children who live with nonparents and receive TANF child-only  assistance tend to be over 10 years old, related to their nonparent  caregiver, and on assistance for at least 2 years (see table 2). Some children living with nonparents who receive TANF child-only  assistance live with nonparent caregivers as a result of parental abuse or  neglect, but the extent to which these children have had involvement with  the state’s child welfare agency is unclear because few states collect this  information. Child Welfare Involvement and Funding Availability Influence Benefit Levels and Services for Children Living with Nonparents

		Benefits and Services Available to Children Living with Nonparents Depend on Child Welfare Involvement and Licensing Status of Caregiver

A child’s circumstances, level of child welfare agency involvement, and  licensing status of the caregiver influence whether a child is eligible for a  foster care payment or a TANF child-only payment (see fig. For one  child, the national average minimum monthly foster care payment is $511  while the average TANF child-only payment is $249 (see table 3). Many children in state custody live with relatives who do not receive  foster care payments because they are not licensed foster parents. Coordination Efforts Between TANF and Child Welfare Programs Can Affect Access to Services

		Several State and Local Efforts Are Under Way to Coordinate TANF and Child Welfare Programs

Several states have initiated efforts to coordinate TANF and child welfare  programs to better serve children living with relative caregivers. These efforts include colocating TANF and  child welfare services in the same building and working together on case  planning. To promote coordination between TANF and child welfare programs,  HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provided  approximately $3.5 million per year for five years in grants to states and  tribes. Limited Information Sharing Can Hinder Relative Caregiver Access to Available Benefits and Services

Information sharing between TANF and child welfare programs can  benefit children living with relative caregivers, but our review in states  where we performed site visits suggests this does not occur consistently. In addition to providing federal funding for the development of SACWIS,  HHS provides guidance and technical assistance to help states develop  child welfare information systems that can interact with TANF information  systems, but more than half the states report obstacles to sharing  information, such as privacy concerns and technical challenges. Although some states are currently sharing data,  others indicated they are not due to confidentiality and privacy concerns. Specifically, we:    analyzed publicly available Temporary Assistance for Needy Families  (TANF) active caseload data from the U.S. Department of Health and  Human Services (HHS), including the number and types of families  receiving TANF cash assistance and the characteristics of children  and nonparent caregivers in TANF child-only cases;    analyzed HHS’ Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting  System (AFCARS) data reported by states including the number of  foster children, number of foster children living with relatives, and the  number receiving federally supported foster care payments;  conducted a nationwide survey of state TANF administrators and a  separate nationwide survey of state child welfare administrators;  visited three states and selected localities within each state and  interviewed officials administering TANF and child welfare programs;  interviewed officials from HHS and reviewed pertinent federal laws,  regulations, and agency guidance; and  interviewed researchers and others knowledgeable about TANF and  child welfare programs from a range of organizations. The  child welfare survey included questions about: the financial assistance  and services available to children in foster care, the extent to which  relative homes are licensed as foster parents, kinship care programs,  implementation of subsidized guardianship, coordination between TANF  and child welfare programs, and the factors influencing the assistance  available to children living with relative caregivers. Subsidized guardianship may not be a viable option for most children in  TANF child-only cases because most of the children are not in state  custody, and the relative caregivers are not licensed, according to some  of the researchers we interviewed.
Why GAO Did This Study

In 2010, over 40 percent of families receiving cash assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program were "child-only," meaning the adults in the household were not included in the benefit calculation, and aid was provided only for the children. TANF and child welfare programs provide cash assistance and other services that support children living with nonparent caregivers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) oversees TANF and child welfare programs, which are administered by states. GAO was asked to examine the (1) trends and composition of the child-only caseload, (2) characteristics of caregivers and children in nonparent child-only cases, (3) factors influencing the level of benefits and services for children with non-parent caregivers, and (4) coordination efforts between state TANF and child welfare programs. GAO analyzed federal TANF and child welfare data; surveyed states; interviewed HHS officials and researchers; and conducted site visits in Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, selected for variation in TANF caseload characteristics and implementation of programs to support relative caregivers.

What GAO Found

Between fiscal years 2000 and 2008, TANF child-only cases increased slightly but represented a greater share of the overall TANF caseload because cases with adults in the assistance unit experienced a significant decline. The national composition of the TANF child-only caseload has remained relatively unchanged since 2000. At the end of 2010, the majority of children receiving TANF lived with parents who were ineligible for cash assistance, and one-third lived with nonparent caregivers who were relatives or unrelated adults. However, this composition varies by state. For example, in Tennessee, almost 60 percent of the TANF child-only caseload included children living with nonparent caregivers, compared with about 30 percent in Texas. Most nonparent caregivers in TANF child-only cases are unmarried women who are over 50 years old, and research suggests that they often have low incomes and health problems. The children tend to be related to their caregiver, who is often a grandparent, and they remain on assistance for at least 2 years. Some of these children live with nonparent caregivers as a result of parental abuse or neglect, substance abuse, incarceration, or mental illness, but these circumstances may or may not be known by the child welfare agency. The level of benefits and services available to children living with nonparents depends on the extent to which a child welfare agency becomes involved in the family's situation and the licensing status of the caregiver. Children in foster care with licensed foster parents are generally eligible for greater benefits and services than children in other living arrangements, who may receive TANF child-only assistance. For one child, the national average minimum monthly foster care payment is $511 while the average TANF child-only payment is $249. Most children live with relatives who do not receive foster care payments because they are not licensed foster parents or they are in informal arrangements without child welfare involvement. Other factors influencing the assistance made available to children in a relative's care include available federal funding, state budget constraints, and increased state efforts to identify relative caregivers to prevent children from being placed in the foster care system. Several state and local efforts are under way to coordinate TANF and child welfare services to better serve children living with relative caregivers, but information sharing is a challenge. Coordination efforts include colocating TANF and child welfare services and having staff from each agency work together to help relative caregivers access services. ACF currently provides grants to states and tribes to support collaboration between TANF and child welfare programs and plans to disseminate the findings. However, information and data sharing between the two programs does not occur consistently, which can hinder relatives' access to available benefits. For example, although HHS provides funding, guidance, and technical assistance to promote data sharing between TANF and child welfare programs, more than half of states reported obstacles to sharing data, such as privacy concerns.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends the Secretary of HHS direct ACF to provide more guidance on data sharing opportunities. HHS agreed with GAO's recommendation.