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Child Welfare Service Programs
The Children’s Bureau supports states and tribal child welfare programs through funding, research, monitoring and special initiatives to promote positive outcomes for children and families involved in child welfare.
Child Welfare Services
- Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services
- Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations
- Child Welfare Training Program
Child Welfare Reporting Systems
- The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)
- The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)
- The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)
You can request a court hearing to establish paternity by court order.
Paternity can be established at a court or administrative hearing or by default if the man was served notice of a paternity hearing but did not appear. Once paternity is established legally, a child gains legal rights and privileges. Among these may be rights to inheritance, rights to the father’s medical and life insurance benefits, and rights to social security and possibly veterans’ benefits.
In addition to providing a basis for child support, paternity establishment can provide basic emotional, social, and economic ties between a father and his child. There are strong indications that children whose fathers take active roles in their upbringing lead more successful lives.