Child and Family Services Review

What Is the Child and Family Services Review?

The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) is a way for the federal government to check how well states are helping children and families through programs like foster care, adoption and child protection.

Why It Matters

The goal is to make sure children are:

Safe from harm
Living in stable homes
Getting the care and support they need to grow and thrive

What’s Reviewed?

The review looks at:

How quickly and safely children are placed in permanent homes
How well families are supported to stay together or reunite
How children’s health, education and emotional needs are being met

What Happens During the Review?

The state submits an assessment to identify strengths and areas needing to improve
Federal partners talk with different community partners to gather information
Federal or state-approved partners conduct case reviews and publish a final report

What Happens After the Review?

If a state doesn’t meet all the goals, they create a plan called a Program Improvement Plan (PIP). This plan helps fix problems and make services better for children and families.

History

The federal Children's Bureau conducts these reviews in review cycles called "rounds". There have been three rounds of reviews completed since the Child and Family Services Review was created in 2000. States are currently in Round 4.

Virginia went through Round 3 in 2017, which identified areas needing to improve. Virginia created a PIP to address safety, permanency, prevention, worker training and support. Virginia passed their PIP in 2022.

Virginia’s CFSR Round 4 review is from October 2025 to March 2026.

Round 4

Round 4 Statewide Assessment:

Round 3

Archived: