WHEREAS, In California, there are more than 60,000 children and youth in foster care who need and deserve safe and stable homes, permanent connections to loving adults, and adequate preparation for adulthood; and

WHEREAS, A child’s and youth’s need for a sense of belonging, unconditional love, and emotional commitment are best met in families; and

WHEREAS, Many California counties are working to provide permanent family connections for foster youth, provide support for families at risk of entering the child welfare system, and improve practices to fully engage youth, family, and communities, thereby reducing the number of children and youth in foster care; and

WHEREAS, California recognizes the enduring and valuable contribution of relatives, foster parents, and adoptive parents who open their hearts, families, and homes to vulnerable children and youth; and

WHEREAS, California recognizes the numerous individuals in public agencies and private organizations that work to ensure that the needs of children and youth living in, and leaving, foster care are met, that help to provide foster children and youth and former foster children and youth with vital connections to their siblings, and that help launch young people into successful adulthood; and

WHEREAS, The current economic recession has presented additional challenges for individuals, agencies, and organizations working to meet the needs of foster youth; and

WHEREAS, A recent federal law, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351), offers opportunities to improve California’s efforts to promote permanent families for children in foster care, improve outcomes for older youth in foster care, increase support for Native American foster children and youth, improve the quality of staff working with children and youth in the child welfare system, expand our support of relative and adoptive caregivers, and assist older foster youth in securing meaningful supportive transitions from foster care; and

WHEREAS, The federal act affirms California’s leadership and success in pioneering innovative child welfare approaches; and

WHEREAS, California is committed to working in partnership with the federal government to improve the lives and futures of all children and youth touched by the child welfare system; now, therefore, be it