Massachusetts Alliance for Foster Families (MAFF)

The Massachusetts Alliance for Foster Families is an advocacy association dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for children who cannot live with their biological families and for the families who care for them.

MAFF’s Mission:
  • Offer opportunities to come together and provide mutual support to each other.
  • Educate the general public about the contributions that foster, kinship, adoptive, and guardianship caregivers can make in the lives of children and about issues affecting the quality of care.
  • Advocate for appropriate public policies and needed resources.
  • Communicate regularly with the membership about issues of interest to them.
  • Provide professional development opportunities and other benefits and services requested by the membership.
  • Work in partnership with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and MSPCC’s Kid’s Net Program to improve the system of care for the children in DCF custody.

The Board meets regularly to identify issues that concern foster, kinship, adoptive, and guardianship (FKAG) families and determine advocacy goals with regards to the legislature, DCF, or other systems that impact children in out of home placements. MAFF also hosts an annual conference for FKAG caregivers and DCF staff.

Membership in MAFF is free and open to all foster, kinship, adoptive, and guardianship parents as well as anyone interested in improving the foster care system.

 

Advocacy Efforts

MAFF leads statewide advocacy efforts to promote the well-being of children in out-of-home placements and the foster, kinship, adoptive, and guardianship families who care for them. Our focus is to promote placement stability for foster children and recruitment and retention of quality foster caregivers.

2023-2024 Legislative Session

FY24 Budget Priorities

MAFF is active in advocating for increased funds from the Massachusetts state budget to support much needed programming and resources for children in out of home placements. 

Below is the list of priorities MAFF is advocating towards in the FY23 state budget:

  1. Closing the gap between the daily rate of support for children in foster care and actual expenses.
  2. Improving access to behavioral health supports for children in foster care.
  3. Establishing sibling relationships
  4. Fully funding the law providing for tuition and fees waivers for foster and adopted children who attend state colleges and universities.
  5. Increasing foster parent recruitment and retention

For more details on our priorities, click here.

 

Bills

MAFF is in the process of determining their legislative priorities for the 2023-2024 session, and will prioritize legislation that will directly impact DCF-involved children and the foster, kinship, adoptive and guardianship families who care for them. 

Your voice is critical to the success of our advocacy initiatives. Please join us in standing up for foster children by signing up to receive alerts on important legislation and budget priorities.

Sign up here

 

Resources for Foster Parents

Foster Parents’ Bill of Rights

The Foster Parents’ Bill of Rights is officially law! 

The Foster Parents’ Bill of Rights creates guidelines for establishing a clear understanding between the Department of Children and Families and Massachusetts foster parents.

The newly established law outlines basic rights afforded to foster parents, rights regarding the provision of foster care, and rights regarding communication and information sharing between foster parents and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

To learn more about the law, please visit here.

The full text of the law can be found here.

 

Foster Home Safety and Support Workgroup 

MAFF board members have been working closely with DCF leadership for several months as part of a workgroup intended to better understand the impact of 51As on Foster Parents. The goal of this workgroup is to:

  • understand the frequency, nature, and disposition of complaints and 51As filed against foster parents;
  • understand the procedures, timelines, and rights of foster parents during and after the investigative process; and
  • explore opportunities to enhance policy, training, communication and supports afforded to DCF staff and foster and kinship parents at the time of a complaint and during any subsequent investigation. 

This workgroup drafted a report with a number of recommendations to inform policy and practice changes within the Department of Children and Families. This report will be made public shortly. MAFF representatives, in collaboration with leaders at the Department, formed a workgroup to discuss strategies for implementation of the recommendations at the state level.

 

Want to get involved but unsure who your legislators are? Find your legislators here.

Want to gain a better understanding of the Massachusetts Legislative and Budget process and become a more effective advocate? We have resources for you. Follow the links below to learn more..

How a bill becomes law                                 Massachusetts Budget Process

 

Kid’s Net Training Calendar

 

Contact MAFF

For more information about MAFF, email MAFF President Cathie Twiraga at cathietwiraga55@gmail.com

 

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