Which act requires periodic reviews of a child's progress towards permanency?

The Adoption and Safe Families Act is the correct choice because it specifically emphasizes the importance of ensuring timely permanency for children in the foster care system. This act mandates that states conduct periodic reviews to assess each child's progress towards achieving a permanent living situation, whether through reunification with their birth family, adoption, or another permanent arrangement. These reviews are crucial for making informed decisions about the child's future and ensuring that they do not linger in foster care indefinitely.

In contrast, while the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act primarily focuses on the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, it does not explicitly mandate periodic reviews for permanency; rather, it addresses services and supports for families. The Social Security Act Title IV-E provides funding for foster care but does not directly require reviews related to a child's permanency goals. The Inter-Ethnic Placement Act is designed to prevent discrimination in foster placements based on race, color, or national origin, but it does not deal specifically with the timelines or requirements for reviewing a child's permanency status. Thus, the Adoption and Safe Families Act stands out as the legislative framework that drives the requirement for these important periodic assessments.