The Administration for Children and Families proposed a rule on October 2, 2026, to eliminate outdated child welfare reporting regulations and reduce agency administrative burden by 60.78 percent. The proposed rule aims to eliminate duplication and streamline reporting so agencies can redirect resources from compliance documents to direct services for children and families.

A recent report found that Annual Progress and Services Reports averaged 256 pages. The average reading time for Annual Progress and Services Reports was 7.18 hours. Between 41 to 78 percent of the language in each agency’s Annual Progress and Services Report is the same as the previous year. Under the revised reporting requirements, the average burden per response for the Annual Progress and Services Report has been reduced from 82 hours to reflect a decrease in time required for compliance.

The annual collection of Monthly Caseworker Visit Data has been discontinued in the Child and Family Services Plan/Annual Progress and Services Report, and data from the Care Analysis and Reporting System will be used instead. Agencies must annually report expenditures to the Administration for Children and Families on Form CFS-101. In the fifth year of the Child and Family Services Plan, agencies submit a final report to the Administration for Children and Families on progress toward accomplishment of the goals.

Federal regulations require agencies to use the Child and Family Services Plan, Annual Progress and Services Report, and final report to provide information for title IV-B subpart 1 and 2 programs, the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, and child abuse and neglect state grant programs under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program funds preventive intervention, alternative placements, and reunification efforts. The MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program funds family support services, family preservation services, family reunification services, and services to support adoptions.

The Administration for Children and Families proposes to remove the regulation that articulates the principles of child and family services reviews because it provides unenforceable recommendations rather than prescribing requirements. The Administration for Children and Families proposes to remove redundant cross-references in the regulations. The Administration for Children and Families must modify subpart 2 reporting requirements for tribes with a total allotment of not more than $50,000 per fiscal year.

In the FY2024 reporting cycle, 82% of tribal entities receiving CWS funds had an allotment of $50,000 or less, which is a key factor in the ACF's focus on reducing administrative burdens for smaller tribes under the Supporting America’s Children and Families Act. Over 100 tribal leaders and partners participated in consultations hosted by the Administration for Children and Families. The Administration for Children and Families received 20 written submissions from the tribal consultations.

The Department of Health and Human Services received 23 comments in response to the July 2025 Federal Register Notice. Comments on the proposed rule must be received within 30 days of its publication in the Federal Register. Written comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at regulations.gov under docket number ACF2026-0562 or Regulatory Information Number 0970-AD32.

The proposed rule was filed on October 2, 2026. The publication date for the proposed rule is October 5, 2026. The document number for the proposed rule is 2026-20329.

The proposed rule contains 61 pages. The Administration for Children and Families removed 35,781 pages of sub-regulatory guidance between March and April 2026, as part of its broader initiative to cut red tape and simplify administrative processes for state and tribal agencies. This action represented a portion of its total sub-regulatory footprint.

Why It Matters

This regulatory change fits within a broader effort by the Administration for Children and Families to reduce administrative burden on grant recipients, following the rescission of 35,781 pages of sub-regulatory guidance in 2026. The discontinuation of Monthly Caseworker Visit Data collection and the use of data from the Care Analysis and Reporting System instead further illustrate the shift toward reducing duplication. These adjustments specifically target smaller tribal entities, 82% of which had allotments of $50,000 or less in the FY2024 reporting cycle, ensuring that reporting requirements do not disproportionately impact agencies with limited resources.

Timeline

The Supporting America’s Children and Families Act (P.L. 118-258) was signed into law on January 4, 2025, and includes provisions requiring the Administration for Children and Families to reduce administrative burden on Title IV-B programs by at least 15% in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Supporting America's Children and Families Act, Public Law 118-258, was signed into law on January 4, 2025.

The Administration for Children and Families proposes to remove regulations that implement title IV-B of the Social Security Act because they are outdated, refer to dates that have passed, have been superseded by subsequent amendments, duplicate requirements, or impose administrative requirements that do not meaningfully support Federal program oversight. The Administration for Children and Families estimates an annual burden reduction of 60.78 percent by removing outdated child welfare reporting regulations.

What's New

New requirements under title IV-B, subpart 3 require that the Children's Bureau reduce administrative burden on the title IV-B program to eliminate duplication and streamline.

In 2026, the ACF proposed to remove regulations that implement Title IV-B of the Social Security Act because they were outdated, referred to dates that had passed, or imposed administrative requirements without meaningful support for program oversight.