This bill addresses a practice called "hidden foster care," which happens when child protective services (CPS) agencies separate children from their parents without going through the formal foster care system or getting a court order. This can occur when CPS suggests or pressures parents to have their child live with a relative or someone else during an investigation, or through informal arrangements sometimes called "kinship diversion" or "safety planning." The problem is that these separations often happen without court oversight, legal protections, or official tracking.

The bill requires states to start measuring and publicly reporting detailed information about these hidden foster care arrangements. States would need to track how many children are separated this way, what allegations triggered the separation, whether the child eventually enters the formal foster care system, and what services families receive. They must also report whether parents get legal help within 72 hours and track what happens to children after they leave these arrangements—whether they reunify with parents, stay with relatives, or enter foster care.

The federal government would then compile this state data into annual reports to Congress and make them public. The goal is transparency and accountability. Right now, these informal separations often go unrecorded and unmonitored, so nobody really knows how widespread the practice is or whether children and families are being protected. By requiring states to collect and report this information, the bill aims to shine a light on what's happening and help policymakers understand whether these arrangements are serving children's best interests or if reforms are needed.