Nunn Leads Bipartisan Effort to Keep Foster Siblings Together

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Gwen Moore (WI-04) today introduced the Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act , bipartisan legislation to keep brothers and sisters together in foster care. Rep. Nunn also introduced a resolution recognizing April as National Foster Sibling Connection Month.

"When brothers and sisters enter foster care, staying together can be the difference between stability and a traumatic disruption in a young life. Kelly and I experienced this personally, adopting two daughters, two siblings, who had each other as they made a very difficult transition," said Rep. Nunn, Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth Co-Chair . "I've worked with families navigating this system - and the biggest barrier to keeping siblings together isn't willingness, it's capacity. This bill funds the foster care models that can actually keep siblings together, and our resolution makes clear that Congress sees this as a priority."

An estimated 53 to 80 percent of children in foster care are separated from at least one sibling, often because the system lacks specialized placements for large or complex sibling groups. Research consistently shows that maintaining sibling connections improves emotional stability, mental health, and long-term outcomes.

The Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act would authorize $10 million over five years for a pilot program within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and expand foster care models that prioritize keeping siblings together.

"Keeping siblings together in the foster care system significantly increases their chance of having positive life outcomes," said Rep. Bacon, Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth Co-Chair. "As a foster-to-adoptive parent of a sibling group, this bipartisan foster care package helps address the unique challenges faced by families caring for sibling groups with large numbers, wide age ranges, and complex needs. We have a responsibility to support children in foster care with stable, loving homes that keep families connected."

"The sibling bond is so important, and the foster care system must work to maintain it. But when siblings become separated in the foster care system, it can create more distress and pain for children and families," said Rep. Moore, Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth Co-Chair. "Our bipartisan legislation would help develop better tools to successfully keep siblings together, especially in complex situations. I am proud to join my fellow Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth (CCFY) co-chairs in introducing this bipartisan legislation."

Specifically, the bill would:

• Establish a competitive grant program for state, tribal, local, faith-based, and nonprofit organizations to develop and expand foster care models that prioritize sibling placement.
• Support specialized placements for the most complex cases, including large sibling groups, wide age ranges, and children with complex needs.
• Require grantees to collect and report data on placement outcomes to strengthen child welfare practices nationwide.

The companion resolution recognizes April as National Foster Sibling Connections Month and calls on federal, state, tribal, and local agencies to prioritize joint placement and improve data collection on sibling separation. The resolution seeks to reduce trauma and support long-term emotional stability for youth in and after the foster care system.

Text of the bill can be found here .

Text of the resolution can be found here .

###