Reps. Cleaver, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Foster Youth Bill of Rights Resolution

November 20, 2025
Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Don Bacon (R-NE), members of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, introduced a Foster Youth Bill of Rights Resolution to help ensure foster youth nationwide are informed about their rights while in foster care. While fifteen states and Puerto Rico have enacted their own Foster Youth Bill of Rights, foster youth rights vary from state to state, with most states providing no guaranteed foster rights at all. The bipartisan resolution is an effort to raise awareness for the existing rights that some states guarantee to foster youth, highlighting ten separate rights that should be afforded to foster youth nationwide.

“Every child in America deserves to feel safe and valued, and we can make no exceptions for the children in our foster care system,” said Congressman Cleaver. “As we work to provide a legal framework for guaranteed protections that should be afforded to foster youth nationwide, I’m proud to introduce the Federal Foster Youth Bill of Rights with Congressman Bacon. Together, we will keep fighting to ensure these children receive the support and stability they deserve.”

“As a foster to adopt parent I know foster youth are an at-risk population through no fault of their own, and it is our responsibility to not only protect them, but to help them get the best outcome possible,” said Rep. Bacon. “The creation of a Foster Youth Bill of Rights will empower them to effectively advocate for themselves and provide another layer of protections.”

“The Foster Youth Bill of Rights affirms what every young person in foster care deserves: safety, dignity, equitable access to resources and opportunities, and a fair chance to build a bright future,” said Rebecca Louve Yao, CEO, National Foster Youth Institute. “As an organization focused on young adults transitioning out of foster care, we believe this bill strengthens the foundation they need to secure safe housing, pursue their education and careers, and enter adulthood with hope and confidence rather than uncertainty. With this legislation, Congressman Cleaver has elevated both the legal protections and lived experiences of children and young adults in care, and we are deeply grateful for his unwavering commitment to foster youth.”

Due to America’s deeply fragmented foster care system and underinvestment in foster youth, children in foster care are at a significant disadvantage, with one report finding that adults aged 22-44 who have ever been in foster care were twice as likely to lack either a high school diploma or GED compared to their peers who have never been in foster care. According to the Fist Star Institute, 11 states received a “D” or “F” grade on their legal rights for foster youth.

The Foster Youth Bill of Rights Resolution affirms the basic rights all foster children are entitled to, including the right:

  1. To receive an education and remain in their original school, if desired;
  2. To participate in extracurricular, cultural, and social activities appropriate to the youth’s age and developmental needs;
  3. To receive needed health services, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health services;
  4. To freedom from abuse, neglect, or corporal punishment;
  5. To be represented by, and speak to, a guardian or attorney ad litem;
  6. To adequate and healthy food, adequate clothing, and a safe and comfortable living environment;
  7. To freedom from discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or disability;
  8. To have continued contact with siblings, if desired;
  9. To regular or at least reasonable contact with their assigned caseworker or an employee of the agency responsible for their child welfare services; and
  10. To be informed of their rights.

The Foster Youth Bill of Rights is endorsed by FosterClub, Child Welfare League of America, and National Foster Youth Institute.

The Foster Youth Bill of Rights is cosponsored by Reps. Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Dwight Evans (D-PA), and Gwen Moore (D-WI).

Official text of the Foster Youth Bill of Rights is available here. 

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.