The Virginia Child and Family Services State Plan is a five-year plan that is updated annually. The programs covered are:

• Promoting Safe and Stable Families (Family Preservation)
• Child Protective Services
• Foster Care
• Independent Living, a component of Foster Care for older youth
• Adoption

In addition, Child Welfare Training, Indian Child Welfare, and Administrative Support are also addressed in the plan.

The complete Child and Family Services State Plan has several parts:

• Foreword or introductory section
• Assurances section for each program that guarantees each program will abide by specific federal guidelines
• Annual Progress and Services Report that describes what each program has accomplished during the past year
• Plan for the upcoming year that describes goals, objectives, activities, and performance measures in each program for the coming year
• Budget for each program for the upcoming year

The Plan is approved annually by the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Responsibility for child welfare services has been a part of the federal Social Security Act since 1935. Currently, each state must complete a five-year Child and Family Services Plan to ensure that every effort has been made to protect children and to serve both children and families in return for federal funding.