Trump Proclaims May 2026 as National Foster Care Month

President Donald Trump signed Proclamation 11023 on April 30, 2026, designating May as National Foster Care Month, per the Federal Register document published May 5, 2026. The two-page proclamation, issued by the Executive Office of the President, serves a ceremonial purpose without substantive legal effect, as it does not invoke specific statutory mechanisms or alter existing laws.

The proclamation affects the roughly 391,000 children in the U.S. foster care system as of fiscal year 2024, based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services' Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, which tracks annual entries and exits.

It also touches the approximately 437,000 foster families nationwide who provide temporary homes, according to the same federal reporting system that documents caregiver involvement. The designation applies broadly to federal agencies, state child welfare offices, and community organizations that operate under programs like Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which funds foster care placements for eligible children.

Prior to this proclamation, May lacked an official national designation for foster care awareness in 2026; the new state establishes it for the entire month, effective immediately upon publication on May 5, 2026. No operational changes to foster care policies or funding occur, as the document focuses on recognition rather than regulatory adjustments.

Federal agencies must now promote foster care initiatives during May, triggering activities such as public service announcements and resource allocations for awareness campaigns under existing budgets from the Administration for Children and Families.

State and local jurisdictions receive encouragement to host events, which could lead to increased volunteer recruitment drives by organizations like the National Foster Parent Association. The proclamation sets a timeline for annual reporting, aligning with fiscal year cycles that require agencies to submit child welfare data by September 30, 2026.

This marks the latest in annual presidential proclamations for National Foster Care Month, a tradition dating back to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. Congress has separately advanced the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018, which shifted funding toward preventive services to reduce foster care entries.