Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using FosterData.org (the “Site”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). FosterData.org is operated by Foster & Adoption Support, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (“we,” “our,” or “us”). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Site.

2. Use of the Site

FosterData.org provides data, research, and journalism related to the U.S. foster care system. Content is intended for informational and educational purposes. You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner consistent with these Terms.

You agree not to:

• Use the Site in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations
• Scrape, harvest, or systematically download content without our written permission
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Site or its infrastructure
• Use the Site to transmit unsolicited commercial communications
• Misrepresent our data or present it in a misleading context

3. Content and Intellectual Property

All original content on FosterData.org — including articles, data visualizations, analysis, and editorial text — is the property of Foster & Adoption Support and protected by copyright law.

We encourage sharing and citation of our work. You may quote excerpts and link to our articles with proper attribution. You may not reproduce full articles or substantial portions of our analysis without written permission.

Underlying government data (such as AFCARS and DFPS reports) is in the public domain. Our analysis and presentation of that data is our original work.

4. Accuracy of Information

We strive to present accurate, well-sourced data. However, we make no warranties or representations about the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of any information on the Site. Government data sources may be revised; we update our content as resources allow.

Nothing on this Site constitutes legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals for decisions affecting children or families.

5. User Accounts

Certain features of the Site may require you to create an account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or that we believe are being used for unauthorized purposes.

6. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links to external websites, including government agencies and research organizations. These links are provided for convenience only. We do not endorse and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party sites.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components. Your use of the Site is at your own risk.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Foster & Adoption Support shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Site or its content.

9. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be posted to this page with a revised “last updated” date. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

10. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the state in which Foster & Adoption Support is incorporated, without regard to conflict of law principles.

11. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be directed to us at our contact page or by email at info@fosterdata.org.