While researching for my class, Introduction to Victimology, I found out about a new law on the books. It's called the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoption Act and you can download the details at www.abanet.org/child. The new law was signed by President George W. Bush on September 7, 2008. It is designed to help connect foster children with their biological relatives and to promote permanent families by asking family members to become foster parents rather than sending the children to live with strangers. The law will also improve education and health care. Highlights of the law include: **Notifying relatives when child is sent to foster care **Providing incentives for extended family members to foster their relatives **Providing incentives for potential adoptive parents to make it easier for them to adopt **Striving to keep biological siblings together in the same home whenever possible The law also states that there will be "Extended federal support for training of staff." This support and training "expands the availability of federal training dollars, on a phased-in basis, to reach more of those caring for and working with children in the child welfare system, including relative guardians, staff of private child welfare agencies, court personnel, attorneys, guardian ad litems, and court appointed special advocates." This sounds like great news. I used to work at an agency that served foster youth. I would drive out to my client's home and conduct therapy at their kitchen table, in their bedroom or at the park. It was sad. Sometimes I'd meet my client in one house one week and another house the next. If this law delivers the goods, it will save a lot of broken hearts and trauma. For more information, contact Heidi Redlich Epstein at the ABA Center on Children and the Law at (202) 662-1725 or redlichh@staff.abanet.org