Arizona CPS struggles continue

Arizona’s child-welfare agency continues to struggle with a record number of children in foster care and fields more reports of abuse and neglect than ever, according to new state data.

More >> Arizona CPS struggles continue

Former CPS official files suit against Hunt County DA’s office

A Rockwall woman who was indicted following an investigation of the Hunt County Child Protective Services (CPS) office, connected with a case tied to the probe of the mother of a murdered Greenville teenager was dismissed and has filed suit against the Hunt County District Attorney’s Office and a former state investigator, alleging she was the victim of malicious prosecution.

More >> Former CPS official files suit against Hunt County DA’s office

Alberta Wildrose party votes against parents inclusion in all education matters

Wildrose party members in Alberta have overwhelmingly voted down a motion to include parents in all issues related to a child’s education, including sexual identity or identification.

More >> Alberta Wildrose party votes against parents inclusion in all education matters

Judge Criticizes Social Workers who backed Mom in Forcing Young boy to Dress as Girl

A British judge has ordered that a seven-year-old boy remain in his father's custody after living as a girl for two years while in his mother's care.

More >> Judge Criticizes Social Workers who backed Mom in Forcing Young boy to Dress as Girl

Ottawa asks provinces to help reform First Nations child welfare

Liberals announce national discussions in wake of Human Rights ruling and Manitoba politicians slamming the current system.

More >> Ottawa asks provinces to help reform First Nations child welfare

If you love institutionalizing kids, you'll hate child welfare reform in Connecticut

Connecticut, 1995: Emily Hernandez, a child-known-to-the-system, dies. Gov. John Rowland demands that caseworkers tear apart more families. There is a foster-care panic, a huge increase in children torn from their families. Children continue to die.

More >> If you love institutionalizing kids, you'll hate child welfare reform in Connecticut

Connecticut DCF routinely takes custody of kids with ‘specialized needs’

The state has taken custody of more than 860 children since 2011 because their families could not access or provide “specialized care” for their mental health or physical conditions, according to judicial department data.

More >> Connecticut DCF routinely takes custody of kids with ‘specialized needs’

Sperm donor sued for child support after 16 years

A gay man who donated sperm to help a friend conceive two children has been sued for child support 16 years later.

More >> Sperm donor sued for child support after 16 years

Subject of CPS investigation files $10 million libel suit against Fox News

William Andrew Rembis, subject of a recent Child Protective Services investigation here in Lubbock, has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Fox News Network, claiming that his reputation has been "damaged irreparably."

More >> Subject of CPS investigation files $10 million libel suit against Fox News

Alabama foster parents arrested, accused of beating 13-year-old special needs child

A Selma couple was arrested Thursday and charged with child abuse after their 13-year-old foster child with special needs came to school with "significant" bruising, police say.

More >> Alabama foster parents arrested, accused of beating 13-year-old special needs child

Grand Jury to meet on alleged abuses cases at Crockett facility

Houston Serenity Place in Crockett remains under investigation by several state agencies for alleged abuse and neglect of numerous foster children.

More >> Grand Jury to meet on alleged abuses cases at Crockett facility

Motherisk tests played role in 10 families where children taken, first phase of review finds

A review of the first 350 “high priority” child protection cases has found that discredited Motherisk alcohol and drug tests played a substantial role in 10 families where children were taken from parents and placed into foster or group homes.

More >> Motherisk tests played role in 10 families where children taken, first phase of review finds

Children at Risk: Foster Children's Rights Ignored

Getting off a school bus, heading home for an afternoon snack and sitting down for homework.

More >> Children at Risk: Foster Children's Rights Ignored

Foster Care Agency Hit With $5M Verdict Over Sex Abuse

Presbyterian Children's Village has been hit with a more than $5 million verdict for placing a child in a foster home where she was sexually abused, despite allegedly knowing that the foster home was being investigated for abuse allegations.

More >> Foster Care Agency Hit With $5M Verdict Over Sex Abuse

• Montco Child Care Agency Must Pay $5.35 Million in Child Sex Abuse Case

Indiana Court Reinstates Case Against Child Agency

The Indiana Court of Appeals revived state Department of Child Services caseworkers' claims that the agency is understaffed, to the detriment of Hoosier State kids.

More >> Indiana Court Reinstates Case Against Child Agency

Child protective services worker stabbed while conducting home visit

A child protective services worker was stabbed in the hand while making a home visit Tuesday, according to a person close to the incident.

More >> Child protective services worker stabbed while conducting home visit

Foster parents abandoning troubled system

Washington state lost nearly one in five foster homes between 2008 and 2015 amid complaints of discord and disarray.

More >> Foster parents abandoning troubled system

Number of US foster kids rises; parents' drug abuse a factor

After dropping sharply between 2005 and 2012, the number of children in the U.S. foster care system has increased for a third year in a row, according to new federal data released Thursday. A major factor: Worsening substance abuse by parents.

More >> Number of US foster kids rises; parents' drug abuse a factor

• Heroin Hitting Kids: How the epidemic is changing child welfare

Ending poverty as reason to apprehend kids

The federal government is considering a policy that prevents poverty from being used as a reason to take children from their parents.

More >> Ending poverty as reason to apprehend kids

Protective services chief proposes pay raise for CPS staff

The commissioner of the state's Department of Family and Protective Services has proposed giving $12,000 raises to each Child Protective Services caseworker, supervisor and administrator.

More >> Protective services chief proposes pay raise for CPS staff

Foster care agency addresses concerns

A special task force of state police dispatched to quickly locate 511 children identified as being at "the highest risk" for abuse or neglect located the first 26 children Thursday, as child protection caseworkers tracked down another 134.

More >> Foster care agency addresses concerns

• Texas State Police Tapped to Help CPS Locate 2,800 Children
• State police fan out to find 2,800 missing foster-care kids

Foster mom convicted of murder wants release

A Cherokee County foster mother convicted of killing a 2-year-old family member in 2013 is asking a federal court to determine she is being illegally imprisoned, court records show.

More >> Foster mom convicted of murder wants release

Man adopted by US couple as a child to be deported to South Korea after 37 years

A South Korean man who was adopted by an American family when he was three years old is expected to be deported after immigration judge John O'Dell ruled against relief that would have allowed him to remain in the US.

More >> Man adopted by US couple as a child to be deported to South Korea after 37 years

Kansas Supreme Court won't consider case of Statehouse protesters the Schwabs

The Kansas Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of Raymond and Amelia Schwab — two Colorado residents who protested on the steps of the Statehouse for six weeks this spring — bringing an end to their legal saga in state courts.

More >> Kansas Supreme Court won't consider case of Statehouse protesters the Schwabs

Angelina Jolie 'also to be investigated for child abuse' after Brad Pitt allegations

US website TMZ claimed that the LA County Department of Children and Family Services are not only looking at the plane row between Maddox and Brad, which initially triggered authorities' involvement.

More >> Angelina Jolie 'also to be investigated for child abuse' after Brad Pitt allegations

New Hampshire struggling to keep child protective services office open past 4:30 p.m.

It will be 2017 by the time child protective services stays open past 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, state officials said Wednesday.

More >> New Hampshire struggling to keep child protective services office open past 4:30 p.m.

Man falsely reported child abuse, police say

Police say a Tioga County man is accused of intentionally placing a false child abuse report to state officials.

More >> Man falsely reported child abuse, police say

Foster mother pleads guilty to reduced charge in boy's death

A Sioux Falls woman accused of killing her 2-year-old foster son has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

More >> Foster mother pleads guilty to reduced charge in boy's death

Former CPS investigator files suit against district attorney's office

A woman whose indictment in an investigation of the local Child Protective Services (CPS) office, connected with a case tied to the probe of the mother of a murdered Greenville teenager, was dismissed, has filed suit against the Hunt County District Attorney’s Office and a former state investigator, alleging she was the victim of malicious prosecution.

More >> Former CPS investigator files suit against district attorney's office

Women Claim They're With Child Protective Services - This Mother Knew Something Was Wrong

April Faulkner said it was “mother’s intuition” that told her that the woman who said she was from the Child Protective Services wasn’t exactly who she said she was. And since the woman didn’t have a police officer with her, Faulkner was sure she was lying and slammed the door in her face.

More >> Women Claim They're With Child Protective Services - This Mother Knew Something Was Wrong

Senators say CPS hasn’t checked on 500 high-risk kids, demand plan to raise caseworkers' pay

State senators on Wednesday vented anger over Child Protective Services' continuing failure to check on thousands of potentially vulnerable children.

More >> Senators say CPS hasn’t checked on 500 high-risk kids, demand plan to raise caseworkers' pay

• Letter to budget writers: we need immediate raise for CPS caseworkers
• CPS asks for more caseworkers, saying hundreds of kids in danger haven’t been seen
• Texas Lawmakers wonder where CPS money is going
• Lawmakers gather at Texas Capitol to work on improving CPS
• "Beat on me," foster care chief tells lawmakers. And they do.
• Lawmakers gather at Texas Capitol to work on improving CPS
• DFPS commissioner: I need troopers to find at-risk children

'Victim of its own success': Program that reduces kids in CFS care faces cuts

A program that has prompted a huge reduction in the number of children removed from their homes has had its funding decreased and faces even more cuts.

More >> 'Victim of its own success': Program that reduces kids in CFS care faces cuts

Death of 6-year-old highlights dangers within child welfare system

Alison G. reached out to PIX11, in the weeks after Zymere Perkins, 6, was carried limp in his mother’s arms from his Harlem apartment.

More >> Death of 6-year-old highlights dangers within child welfare system

EXCLUSIVE: ACS workers accused of ignoring signs that twins were forced to give oral sex to foster mom’s father

City social workers "ignored" evidence two twins endured forced oral sex in the same Brooklyn foster family where a preteen girl and her sisters also suffered years of sex abuse, new court papers claim.

More >> EXCLUSIVE: ACS workers accused of ignoring signs that twins were forced to give oral sex to foster mom’s father

EXCLUSIVE: ACS workers accused of ignoring signs that twins were forced to give oral sex to foster mom’s father

City social workers "ignored" evidence two twins endured forced oral sex in the same Brooklyn foster family where a preteen girl and her sisters also suffered years of sex abuse, new court papers claim.

More >> EXCLUSIVE: ACS workers accused of ignoring signs that twins were forced to give oral sex to foster mom’s father

Child Safety data shows only 35 per cent children seen within 10 days before investigations

Children at risk of harm have not been seen by officers within 10 days in 65 per cent of Child Safety investigations in Queensland.

More >> Child Safety data shows only 35 per cent children seen within 10 days before investigations

Senators to take up cost of foster care fixes

As Texas faces a foster care scandal with thousands of children locked in a system already declared unconstitutional by a federal judge, Senate budget writers on Wednesday are expected to grill officials in charge of the troubled system over skyrocketing costs and questions over how many additional children are being victimized.

More >> Senators to take up cost of foster care fixes

• State Lawmakers Blast CPS Over Foster Care Disaster

Senators to take up cost of foster care fixes

As Texas faces a foster care scandal with thousands of children locked in a system already declared unconstitutional by a federal judge, Senate budget writers on Wednesday are expected to grill officials in charge of the troubled system over skyrocketing costs and questions over how many additional children are being victimized.

More >> Senators to take up cost of foster care fixes

• State Lawmakers Blast CPS Over Foster Care Disaster

Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of DCS Caseworker

DCS director Mary Beth Bonaventura and Governor Mike Pence discuss caseloads at an August 2015 press conference (Brandon Smith/IPB News)

More >> Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of DCS Caseworker

'Shocking failures' in child protection for Aboriginal kids: report

Lucy* was a newborn when she first came to the attention of child protection workers, and tragedy has marred her life ever since.

More >> 'Shocking failures' in child protection for Aboriginal kids: report

• Aboriginal children in care 'isolated from family and culture', says Victoria report

Bikes, scooter swiped from foster family's garage

The theft of five bikes and a scooter from a Milwaukee foster family’s garage last week was recorded on surveillance video.

More >> Bikes, scooter swiped from foster family's garage

Court: Suit challenging child-welfare workloads can proceed

The Indiana Court of Appeals says a lawsuit challenging the workloads of Indiana’s child-welfare case managers can move forward.

Court: Suit challenging child-welfare workloads can proceed

Malaysian Welfare Home Under Fire For Locking Disabled Children in Special ‘Cages’

The Handicapped Children’s Welfare Home reportedly keeps the disabled kids locked in “cages”  to keep them from hurting each each other, claimed the Welfare Department. The department further explained that the decision to keep them in there was to protect not only the special needs children but also the other young residents there, the Straits Times reported.

More >> Malaysian Welfare Home Under Fire For Locking Disabled Children in Special ‘Cages’

Foster Parent Pleads Guilty to 5 Child Sex Charges

A Van Buren man pleaded guilty in court Tuesday morning to five counts of Interstate Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, his attorney announced.

More >> Foster Parent Pleads Guilty to 5 Child Sex Charges

• Arkansas truck driver says guilty in sex case; foster-care girls raped on travels
• Federal investigation uncovers foster parent's abuse of five children

Defense: Mother denied fair trial in foster child's death

The failure of a Livingston County woman's lawyer to call several witnesses during her murder trial on charges that she killed her foster daughter in 2011 denied her a fair trial, claims her new attorney.

More >> Defense: Mother denied fair trial in foster child's death

In our opinion: Rethinking foster care through the lens of family relationships

Finally, civil leaders are realizing the nurturing strength and financial advantages of home life and family relationships.

More >> In our opinion: Rethinking foster care through the lens of family relationships

Foster Youth Bring Their Priorities to Capitol Hill

Foster youth sometimes get the chance to respond to lawmakers’ child welfare agendas. They may be invited to testify at a hearing or to stand onstage at a press conference.

More >> Foster Youth Bring Their Priorities to Capitol Hill

Ohio funding for Child Protective Services is lowest in the nation

Ohio has some of the lowest funding for child protective services in the United States. Funding dropped off during the recession and never bounced back.

More >> Ohio funding for Child Protective Services is lowest in the nation

• Theodore Decker commentary: Ohio isn't taking very good care of its kids

DCYF worker accused of leaving child alone in locked car

Rhode Island child advocate Jennifer Griffith said Monday that her office is investigating a report that a child in state care was left alone in a car by a worker at the state Department of Children, Youth and Families.

More >> DCYF worker accused of leaving child alone in locked car

In the child welfare system, black youth experience isolation and internal hate

A black girl’s hair clogs the drain in the bathroom sink. Her foster mom tells her it’s because the hair is the texture of steel wool.

More >> In the child welfare system, black youth experience isolation and internal hate

Plea deal reached in foster child death case

A plea deal has been reached in the case of a Sioux Falls foster mother charged in the death of a 2-year-old child.

More >> Plea deal reached in foster child death case

NSW carer to face court charged with rape

A 60-year-old foster carer accused of raping and supplying cannabis to a teenage girl in his charge is set to face court on the NSW mid-north coast.

More >> NSW carer to face court charged with rape

• Former foster carer, 60, charged with raping a teenage girl in his care
• NSW Foster Carer Arrested For Child Sex Offences
• Girl X: Uniting Care in new abuse case after earlier debacle
• Foster care group in new abuse case

Sheriff’s Deputies Shoot Pregnant Single Mother While Performing ‘Wellness Check’

Two sheriff's deputies in Washington state arrived at the house of 23-year-old Renee Davis after the single mother texted someone to say she was in a "bad way" and that person called 911 to tell law enforcement, according to Davis' foster sister.

More >> Sheriff’s Deputies Shoot Pregnant Single Mother While Performing ‘Wellness Check’

Former foster carer charged with sexually assaulting young girl in his care

A former foster carer has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in his care in NSW.

More >> Former foster carer charged with sexually assaulting young girl in his care 

• Former foster carer, 60, 'raped a 14-year-old girl in his care and supplied her with drugs'

Family Court overrules Texan judge on ‘taken’ boy

A Texan judge who ordered an Australian mother to return her six-year-old son to his American father under the Hague Convention has been overruled by the Family Court.

More >> Family Court overrules Texan judge on ‘taken’ boy

Children ‘unnecessarily being put into group homes’ as N.S. foster parent numbers dwindle

As the foster parent population in Nova Scotia continues to dwindle, some advocates say there is a crisis on the horizon.According to community services Minister Joanne Bernard, there are currently 570 foster families in Nova Scotia and over 1,000 children in care.“We have to understand that the North American trend right now is that foster parents are ageing,” said Bernard, adding many of the children in need of care are unnecessarily being put into group homes.

More >> Children ‘unnecessarily being put into group homes’ as N.S. foster parent numbers dwindle

Note: Of course stealing too many kids has nothing to do with it...

Social worker struck off following Rochdale sexual exploitation case audit

A social worker whose case files were audited in the wake of the Operation Span investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale has been struck off.

More >> Social worker struck off following Rochdale sexual exploitation case audit

CPS head asks for 550 more caseworkers with focus on addressing failures in Texas

The head of the besieged and understaffed Child Protective Services says he needs at least 550 additional front-line workers to fix a system that results in CPS investigators routinely missing deadlines to see thousands of children at risk of abuse or neglect.

More >> CPS head asks for 550 more caseworkers with focus on addressing failures in Texas

Grandma Allegedly Shoots at Dad of 2-Year-Old After Custody Battle, Accidentally Shoots Herself

Police arrested a North Carolina grandma who allegedly opened fire in a Walmart parking lot in broad daylight over a custody battle, according to reports.

More >> Grandma Allegedly Shoots at Dad of 2-Year-Old After Custody Battle, Accidentally Shoots Herself

Child Abuse Case Highlights Oversight Failures

The Office of the Child Advocate recently released a report regarding the near-death of toddler Dylan C. in Department of Children and Families relative foster care, more commonly known as kinship care.

More >> Child Abuse Case Highlights Oversight Failures

English Authorities Remove A Boy Living As A Girl From His Mother's Care

An English judge has removed a boy from his mother’s care, who was living his life as a girl, saying that the mother’s misplaced belief that the boy identified as a girl has caused him “significant emotional harm,” The Guardian is reporting. The case calls into question whether or not the boy in question actually identified as a girl, or whether his overzealous mother simply treated him as if he were a girl.

More >> English Authorities Remove A Boy Living As A Girl From His Mother's Care

Advocates see a deck stacked against parents in DCF cases

Lawyers and others who deal with child welfare cases say that once the Department of Children and Families takes a child from a home and wins temporary custody, the deck is stacked against parents.

More >> Advocates see a deck stacked against parents in DCF cases

Migrant foster mum reveals her horror at discovering ’12-year-old refugee’ in her care is actually a 21-year-old Jihadi

A FOSTER mum who took in a child refugee has told of her horror after discovering he was a 21-year-old jihadi.

More >> Migrant foster mum reveals her horror at discovering ’12-year-old refugee’ in her care is actually a 21-year-old Jihadi

Mom sentenced for abducting children from supervised visit

A woman who took her children from a supervised visit will spend as much as five years with the Department of Corrections.

More >> Mom sentenced for abducting children from supervised visit

Child Protective Services Failed Boy Whose Mother Claimed He Was Transgender Says UK Judge

Years of child welfare reports were ignored by social services out of fear of appearing “transphobic” towards a child whose mother claimed he was transgender, charged UK Family Court Judge Mr. Justice Hayden as he transferred custody of the seven-year-old boy to his father.

More >> Child Protective Services Failed Boy Whose Mother Claimed He Was Transgender Says UK Judge

Probe into alleged foster care abuse delayed

An investigation into allegations of abuse at a foster care home in the southeast is being delayed by a legal procedural issue.

More >> Probe into alleged foster care abuse delayed

When grandparents step in, state often doesn't help

Mercedes Bristol isn’t afraid to say she thought long and hard about taking in her five grandchildren.

More >> When grandparents step in, state often doesn't help

4 Our Kids: CYFD secretary rejects calls to step down

When asked what it’s like to be the secretary of the state’s Children Youth and Families Department, Monique Jacobson said it’s the most challenging job she’s ever had. With that said, she added it’s also a job she loves.

More >> 4 Our Kids: CYFD secretary rejects calls to step down

Even with $40M shortfall, state will hire 550 new CPS workers so they can steal more kids

 The commissioner for the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) says his agency will hire an additional 550 investigators and caseworkers for Child Protective Services in an effort to combat the current backlog involving neglected and abused children in Texas.

More >> Even with $40M shortfall, state will hire 550 new CPS workers

• Child Protective Services Head: We Need 550 More Caseworkers

The Sixties Scoop

During the 1950's and 1960's, the Canadian government started phasing out Residential Schools for indigenous children. As a result, there was a large number of indigenous children in the care of social services. Social workers worried that their home reserves couldn't take care of them properly. So they came up with a plan to ask white families to foster or adopt them. One program was the Adopt Indian Metis Program, or AIM. Many indigenous children ended up losing touch with their birth families and their identity.

More >> The Sixties Scoop

Suit alleges DCYF, Easter Seals allowed child sex abuse

A lawsuit filed by the grandparents — now the adoptive parents — of two children who suffered horrific sexual and physical abuse by their biological parents blames the state’s child welfare agency and Easter Seals for negligence in handling the case.

More >> Suit alleges DCYF, Easter Seals allowed child sex abuse

• Lawsuit: DCYF allowed children to be abused 

PM must account for child abuse inquiry 'failings' - survivor

Theresa May is personally responsible for the controversies rocking the child abuse inquiry, a survivor has insisted.

More >> PM must account for child abuse inquiry 'failings' - survivor

• Theresa May aware of child abuse inquiry 'tensions' while home secretary

Report finds WA children mistreated in state care scared to speak up

WEST Australian children mistreated in state care are often too scared to speak out because they will not be believed or fear the consequences will make life worse, a report has found.


More >> Report finds WA children mistreated in state care scared to speak up

Audit slams state agencies for drugging foster kids

During a recent hearing at the Capitol, State Auditor Elaine Howle revealed the findings on her department's audit regarding the prescribing and oversight of psychotropic medications to children in foster care.

More >> Audit slams state agencies for drugging foster kids

Surviving Life In Foster Care: Why Children In Foster Care Are Vulnerable To Depression, Learning Disabilities, Obesity & Asthma

It turns out that being in foster care can have negative effects on children. A new study found that kids in the United States who have been in foster care have higher risks of mental and physical health problems such as obesity, asthma, depression, and learning disabilities including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.

More >> Surviving Life In Foster Care: Why Children In Foster Care Are Vulnerable To Depression, Learning Disabilities, Obesity & Asthma

Young People Denied Healthcare Coverage after Aging out of Foster Care: Report

A report from the National Center for Children in Poverty highlights a troubling trend where young people, after aging out of the foster care system, are being denied healthcare coverage that the state is legally required to offer. The denials are based on an intersection of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), cost considerations, and grammar.

More >> Young People Denied Healthcare Coverage after Aging out of Foster Care: Report

Ofsted warns over police weaknesses in child protection

The head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has criticised police forces in England for failing to take child protection matters seriously.

More >> Ofsted warns over police weaknesses in child protection

The Limits of What A Judge May Order to Stop Parents From Making False Allegations in Custody Battles

Sometimes the most contentious issue in a divorce is not how to divide the parties' cash or assets, but rather how custody will be decided.

More >> The Limits of What A Judge May Order to Stop Parents From Making False Allegations in Custody Battles

Group home director charged with sexually abusing child

The director of a Bay County group home had sex with a juvenile in his care from the time she was 14 until she was 18, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office.

More >> Group home director charged with sexually abusing child

• Sheriff: Group home director arrested on sex charges

Just 1 percent of Cook County foster children get special advocates

Hundreds of abused and neglected Cook County children go without much-needed adult support each year because of lack of funding for the county’s volunteer advocate program.

More >> Just 1 percent of Cook County foster children get special advocates

Science backs how much foster care sucks — kids suffer more health problems

Now it’s a scientific fact that foster kids have a hard-knock life.

Children in the U.S. foster care system suffer significantly higher risks of emotional and physical health problems, the journal Pediatrics reported Monday, such as depression, asthma and obesity.

More >> Science backs how much foster care sucks — kids suffer more health problems 

• Foster kids face higher risk of health problems: Study
• Children in Foster Care Show Poorer Health

Midlands children in foster care can go months without seeing their siblings or birth families

A REPORT INTO foster care in the Midlands region has found significant failures to reach appropriate standards.

More >> Midlands children in foster care can go months without seeing their siblings or birth families

Children in Midlands foster care had to share beds, report finds

Children in State care in the Midlands are being placed with foster carers who are unapproved or who were refused permission to care for children in the past, according to a damning report from the health watchdog

More >> Children in Midlands foster care had to share beds, report finds

Hillary brags about ASFA

Hillary Clinton championed the Adoption and Safe Families Act through Congress in 1997. Since it's passing hundreds of thousands of American families have been destroyed.




A video by Jim Black of Angel Eyes Over Texas

Children in foster care have poorer physical and mental health

1. Children in foster care had more mental and physical health problems when compared to the general population of U.S. children.

2. Children in foster care had poorer mental and physical health outcomes than children across different family types as well as children in economically disadvantaged families.

More >> Children in foster care have poorer physical and mental health

• Foster care raises children's risk of mental, physical health problems

Social worker suspended for obstructing child abuse investigation

A SOCIAL worker has been suspended after obstructing an investigation into potential alleged child abuse by refusing to provide details to the St Helens Children's and Young People Service.

More >> Social worker suspended for obstructing child abuse investigation

A Broken System: Child-Parent Sanctity (CPS)

No matter the creed, class, race or affiliation of parents in society most of them share the common values of wanting what’s best for their children and to keep them safe.

More >> A Broken System: Child-Parent Sanctity (CPS)

Panel's bid to subpoena Arkansas judge on foster care raises fuss

Judges and a law school dean have expressed concern about a legislative committee's wish to subpoena a judge to ask her how she handles foster care cases.

More >> Panel's bid to subpoena Arkansas judge on foster care raises fuss

Legislative committee explores child welfare workforce problems

Omaha Sen. Sara Howard grew up listening to her mother, former Sen. and social worker Gwen Howard, talk about the high caseloads of child welfare workers.

More >> Legislative committee explores child welfare workforce problems

Former Abilene CPS supervisor Bit Whitaker hearing postponed again

The 350th District Court plans to reset hearings scheduled Friday for two former Child Protective Services employees accused of tampering with evidence in the death of 22-month-old Tamryn Klapheke.

Abilene >> Former Abilene CPS supervisor Bit Whitaker hearing postponed again

Rape charges against Breckenridge foster father now total 10

Already facing one count of sexually assaulting a child placed in his care, a Gratiot County foster father was arraigned Friday on nine additional rape charges.

More >> Rape charges against Breckenridge foster father now total 10

Texas betting on lawman to fix growing child welfare crisis

When two of the most troubled child welfare systems in the U.S. plunged into crisis, Republican governors in Texas and Arizona turned to law enforcement veterans who promised tough investigations, then saw the safety net for vulnerable kids worsen.

More >> Texas betting on lawman to fix growing child welfare crisis

• EDITORIAL: If young lives are sacred, CPS reforms must be a top 2017 state legislative priority

President Obama Signs Bill For Native Children Commission

U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are celebrating a long-fought victory after President Barack Obama signed their bill to improve the lives of Native youth by creating a commission on Native Children.

More >> President Obama Signs Bill For Native Children Commission

• Statement by the President -- S. 246

Murfreesboro foster parent accused of raping 10-year-old girl

A foster parent in Murfreesboro was arrested last week and accused of raping a 10-year-old.

More >> Murfreesboro foster parent accused of raping 10-year-old girl

A Hidden Crisis: The Pipeline from Foster Care to Homelessness for LGBTQ Youth

There are more than 400,000 youth in the American foster care system today, roughly that of the population of Sacramento, California. Foster care, created to protect the welfare of children, is a broken system, hobbled by an outdated bureaucracy, underfunded agencies, and overburdened workers frequently resulting in dire outcomes. Research shows that children placed in foster care are more likely to develop Post-traumatic Stress Disorder than veterans of war. In some states, youth are just as likely to be abused in foster care as they are in the home from which they were removed. Foster care has also become a gateway into homelessness. Nearly half of the youth experiencing homelessness today have had at least one placement in a foster home, or group home.

More >> A Hidden Crisis: The Pipeline from Foster Care to Homelessness for LGBTQ Youth

Her 'cheeks are missing:' Pit bull mauls young girl in foster home, lawsuit says

The father of a young girl mauled by a pit bull while in foster care says state workers failed to protect her despite knowing that a dangerous dog was in the home.

More >> Her 'cheeks are missing:' Pit bull mauls young girl in foster home, lawsuit says

Delaware foster kids prescribed drugs at higher levels

They survive neglect but lose faith in adults. They escape abuse but deal with the scars forever. They are taken from bad homes but can remain unsettled for years, and even the best-meaning foster parents can struggle to keep their past histories straight.

More >> Delaware foster kids prescribed drugs at higher levels

Former Kansas foster care worker sentenced for child sex crimes

A Kansas woman was sentenced on Thursday for child sex crimes.

Former foster care worker Bridget Martinez, 32, Bel Aire, was sentenced to three years of probation for having sex with a 16-year-old foster child while a worker-volunteer in authority at a foster home, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

More >> Former Kansas foster care worker sentenced for child sex crimes

• Foster care worker convicted of sex crimes against foster child

Man charged with making sexual arrangement resigns from Child Protective Services

New details on a man charged with making a sexual arrangement with an M.H.M.R. patient in return for cigarettes.

More >> Man charged with making sexual arrangement resigns from Child Protective Services

Murfreesboro foster parent arrested for rape, sexual battery of child

A 45-year-old Murfreesboro man serving as a foster parent has been charged with the sexual battery of a 10-year-old child.

More >> Murfreesboro foster parent arrested for rape, sexual battery of child

Maryland’s Move to Pull Children From Group Homes Came Too Late for Teenager Who Died

Once again, government actions against a controversial for-profit company’s chain of group homes for the disabled may have come too late to protect a child. ProPublica has learned that Maryland had begun pulling about 30 children out of homes owned and managed by AdvoServ in August, but hadn’t yet relocated a teenage girl when she died a month later after being manually restrained by staff.

More >> Maryland’s Move to Pull Children From Group Homes Came Too Late for Teenager Who Died

Former Onslow foster carer faces court over abuse allegations

A former foster carer at the state-run Gilliamia Hostel in Onslow has faced court accused of child abuse dating back to the 1970s.

More >> Former Onslow foster carer faces court over abuse allegations

4 Children's Services Officials Suspended for Death of 6-Year-Old Harlem Boy

Zymere Perkins, 6, was abused for months before his death. Children's Services investigated the family, but failed to identify the abuse.

More >> 4 Children's Services Officials Suspended for Death of 6-Year-Old Harlem Boy

• Four Managers at City's Child Welfare Agency Suspended After 6-Year-Old Boy Beaten to Death in Harlem
• 4 child welfare officials suspended in Harlem boy’s death

Texas Betting on Lawman to repair Growing Child Welfare Crisis – ABC News

Arizona’s Greg McKay, a onetime Phoenix detective, has survived early requires his firing like a once-massive situation backlog wanes. Now Texas’ Hank Whitman, a upon the market Texas Ranger who actor Robert Duvall cast to experience a lawman within the 2015 film “Wild Horses,” is under similar pressure to show woeful figures around rapidly.

More >> Texas Betting on Lawman to repair Growing Child Welfare Crisis – ABC News

Boy raped by father was also abused in foster care

The Child and Family Agency also said it could not provide any additional details regarding whether any other children had been placed in the same foster setting at the same time as the alleged perpetrator, or if there was any other allegation of abuse relating to it.

More >> Boy raped by father was also abused in foster care

State Leaders Order Texas Department Of Family And Protective Services To Shape Up

State officials on Wednesday have ordered the Department of Family and Protective Services to enhance its services and relieve a backlog of children waiting to be placed in homes.

More >> State Leaders Order Texas Department Of Family And Protective Services To Shape Up

Why schools won’t tell you about sex offender students

When students at Lakes High School walked out of classes in protest Sept. 26, they said they were angry because the Clover Park School District hadn’t told them about an alleged on-campus sexual assault.

More >> Why schools won’t tell you about sex offender students

Federal Court Case Asks: Is it Against Constitution for Caseworkers to Lie?

Is it constitutional for a caseworker to lie in court?

If that question comes across to you as one with an obvious answer, consider that a court case on the subject is one stop away from the U.S. Supreme Court.

More >> Federal Court Case Asks: Is it Against Constitution for Caseworkers to Lie?

Texas governor calls child welfare backlog 'unacceptable'

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is ordering action at the state's beleaguered child welfare agency that has shown no progress in reducing the number of vulnerable kids going unseen by investigators.

More >> Texas governor calls child welfare backlog 'unacceptable'

• State leaders order Child Protective Services overhaul
• Gov. Abbott to CPS: Get your act together

Child protection services judged 'unsatisfactory and inconsistent'

Six years of social work reforms championed by David Cameron aimed at driving up standards in child protection services have largely failed to deliver improvements, the government’s spending watchdog has concluded.

More >> Child protection services judged 'unsatisfactory and inconsistent'

Family Court: Case ‘a fight between foster carers and father’

A child, whom the Child and Family Agency wants to retain in care until adulthood, perceives an ongoing court case as “a fight between her foster carers and her father”, her court-appointed guardian has said. “In reality, what she wants is both,” the guardian told Judge Brendan Toale at the Dublin District Child Care Court yesterday.

More >> Family Court: Case ‘a fight between foster carers and father’

Dodge City foster home shuts its doors

A major residential center for foster children in southwest Kansas is preparing to close.

More >> Dodge City foster home shuts its doors

Dad sues US state, claims it failed to protect his daughter from abuse

The father of a three-year-old girl who died after being physically abused by her mother’s boyfriend is suing the state of Connecticut for failing to protect his daughter.

More >> Dad sues US state, claims it failed to protect his daughter from abuse

• A 3-year-old was beaten to death. Officials knew she was abused and ignored it, a lawsuit says.

Former head of child abuse inquiry received £80,000 payoff

Dame Lowell Goddard received £80,000 in pay and allowances when she quit as head of the inquiry into child sexual abuse, the Home Office has confirmed.

More >> Former head of child abuse inquiry received £80,000 payoff

Hung Jury in St. Clair Shores Foster Care Child Abuse Case

A Macomb County jury could not reach a verdict following a trial for a 29-year-old woman accused of abusing her foster child, The Macomb Daily reports.

More >> Hung Jury in St. Clair Shores Foster Care Child Abuse Case

Norwegian child care system under attack

A number of countries have contacted the Norwegian authorities to discuss the Norwegian child care system after several controversial cases where parents have had their children taken away.

More >> Norwegian child care system under attack

Youth detention royal commission: Former NT ombudsman slams 'secretive' child protection syste

The Northern Territory Department of Children and Families was "impenetrable" and "secretive", a former NT ombudsman has told the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children.

More >> Youth detention royal commission: Former NT ombudsman slams 'secretive' child protection syste

Juvenile detention royal commission told use of force 'routine' at Don Dale – as it happened

The commission has ended for today. Both witnesses heard from, Megan Mitchell and Carolyn Richards, will be recalled at a later date as there is a full schedule of witnesses for this week.

More >> Juvenile detention royal commission told use of force 'routine' at Don Dale – as it happened

A Baby Nearly Dies in Foster Care, Reigniting Questions About Connecticut's DCF

The state Department of Children and Families is back in the news facing sharp criticism over multiple issues. This hour, we dig into them and we'll examine what, if anything, needs to change within DCF.

More >> A Baby Nearly Dies in Foster Care, Reigniting Questions About Connecticut's DCF

A challenge to Hillary’s self-praise for foster care reform

During this election season, a lot of fuss has been made about “fact checking.” I’m all for it. Over the years that I directed the Institute for Children, a think tank that focused on foster care and adoption policy, fact checking was one of the most important things the organization did. “Everything we publish has got to be air tight,” I told my staff, again and again.

More >> A challenge to Hillary’s self-praise for foster care reform

Tiahleigh Palmer’s Foster Mother And Brother To Be Witnesses For The Prosecution

A new twist in the case of the Queensland foster family charged over the death of Tiahleigh Palmer has seen the family split.

More >> Tiahleigh Palmer’s Foster Mother And Brother To Be Witnesses For The Prosecution

• Police Dig For Evidence At Tiahleigh Palmers Foster Home
• Tiahleigh Palmer's mother lashes out at her daughter's foster dad and brother

Court OKs trial for social worker facing drug charges

The case against a Brown County social worker accused of selling meth will go forward.

More >> Court OKs trial for social worker facing drug charges

Teen missing from foster home

Watsontown Police are looking for a foster home runaway.

According to police reports, Nicholas F. Gulli, 17, left his foster home at 129 Baylor Rd on Wednesday, Oct. 5. At the time, he wore gray sweatpants and a black and white patterned hoodie. He was later reported as a runaway on the same day.

More >> Teen missing from foster home

Indigenous Kids' Care Crisis Is 'Another Stolen Generation': Greens

Australia is in danger of overseeing "another stolen generation" as the number of Aboriginal children being removed from their families and placed into out of home care spirals, according to the Greens.

More >> Indigenous Kids' Care Crisis Is 'Another Stolen Generation': Greens

Judge Who Detained Kids for Missing Lunch with Dad Faces Hearing

Oakland County Judge Lisa Gorcyca, who has faced a firestorm of criticism over her handling of an acrimonious child custody dispute involving three Bloomfield Hills children, was expected to go before a panel of the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission Monday.

More >> Judge Who Detained Kids for Missing Lunch with Dad Faces Hearing

• 'Nightmare' case prompts Gorcyca judicial misconduct hearing
• Sparks fly at Michigan judge's misconduct hearing

New national report questions privatized government services like those in Kansas

At a time when the state of Kansas' privatized child welfare programs are coming under heightened scrutiny, a new national report says privatization generally leads to lower quality services, especially for the poor and people of color.

More >> New national report questions privatized government services like those in Kansas

Foster mum and son face court over Tiahleigh Palmer’s death

Tiahleigh Palmer’s foster mother and brother are expected to face court today on charges relating to the investigation of the 12-year-old’s murder.

More >> Foster mum and son face court over Tiahleigh Palmer’s death

• Two members of the foster family charged over the death of Queensland
• Tiahleigh Palmer: Wife, son to testify against foster father
• Thorburn family turn on accused Tiahleigh killer Rick
• Tiahleigh's foster mother to plead guilty
• Tiahleigh Palmer's foster mum and brother to testify against her accused killer
• Foster mother and brother 'intend to plead guilty' to charges

Transgender minor allegedly harassed after being placed in boys' home by child welfare committee

Members of the Karnataka Transgender Committee condemned the decision of the state Child Welfare Committee(CWC) to place a teenaged transgender person in a government boys’ home for two weeks.

More >> Transgender minor allegedly harassed after being placed in boys' home by child welfare committee

Desperate Choices: Connecticut parents giving up custody for care

Ten years have gone by, but Lisa Vincent and her son, Jose, flash back to their goodbye with fresh anguish and faltering voices.

More >> Desperate Choices: Connecticut parents giving up custody for care

Brad Pitt: Off The Hook in Child Abuse Case

Well, well, well ... just when you think you've heard it all when it comes to the divorce between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, some new little bit of fact or gossip pops up and just blows your mind all over again.

More >> Brad Pitt: Off The Hook in Child Abuse Case

• Brad Pitt was not investigated by FBI over 'waste of time' child abuse claims
• THE FBI CLOSES INVESTIGATION INTO BRAD PITT CHILD ABUSE CLAIMS

Khartoum starts to hand over Darfur child soldiers to their families

Sudanese government has embarked on actual moves to hand over 21 child soldiers to their families after completing the legal procedures, said children official.

More >> Khartoum starts to hand over Darfur child soldiers to their families

Predictive analytics: The stop-and-frisk of child welfare

Want to see a liberal talk like Newt Gingrich? Too often, all you have to do is say "child abuse"

More >> Predictive analytics: The stop-and-frisk of child welfare

Parents take daughter after losing custody; Police trying to locate child

On September 16, Department of Human Services Child Welfare took protective custody of Emma Long (7), holding a shelter hearing to determine the best options for the child.

More >> Parents take daughter after losing custody; Police trying to locate child

Former Foster Mother Charged This Week With The Death Of A Toddler In 2001

A 15 year unresolved death case of a toddler is finally coming to an end.

More >> Former Foster Mother Charged This Week With The Death Of A Toddler In 2001

Head of D.C. child welfare agency departs as problems investigating neglect persist

The head of the District’s long-scrutinized child-welfare agency abruptly resigned last week, leaving behind an organization under fire for failing to investigate reports of potential abuse and promptly place children in foster homes.

More >> Head of D.C. child welfare agency departs as problems investigating neglect persist

CPS came under fire in Klapheke case

Child Protective Services came under scrutiny in Abilene in 2012 following the death of 22-month-old Tamryn Klapheke.

More >> CPS came under fire in Klapheke case

DCF caseworker remained unchanged for months after toddler nearly starved to death

The Department of Children and Families caseworker assigned to protect a toddler who nearly starved to death in a Groton foster home remained unchanged for more than two months after the child was hospitalized, emails and an investigative report show.

More >> DCF caseworker remained unchanged for months after toddler nearly starved to death

80% of missing persons in Manitoba are in child welfare system, police say

Police in Winnipeg say four out of five missing persons reports they receive every month involve kids in the care of Manitoba Child and Family Services.

More >> 80% of missing persons in Manitoba are in child welfare system, police say

CPS admits 20 percent of kids at high risk of abuse aren't seen by caseworkers in timely manner

When someone calls Child Protective Services to report suspected child abuse the first thing that agency does is prioritize the call.

More >> CPS admits 20 percent of kids at high risk of abuse aren't seen by caseworkers in timely manner

Child advocates talk reform, following report on sexualized violence in care

This week, calls to overhaul Canada's foster program re-emerged after a report revealed at least 233 cases of sexualized violence against young people under government care in British Columbia were reported since 2011. 

More >> Child advocates talk reform, following report on sexualized violence in care

• The British Columbia government is failing its most vulnerable citizens

A Warning to the Families in Texas!!!

Child Protective Services leaders have been forced to call in workers on overtime to check on endangered children this weekend, including in Dallas County.

More >> Texas CPS forced to call in workers on OT to check on endangered kids this weekend

Manitoba child services won't return toddler to social worker grandmother

 supervisor with a Manitoba indigenous child-welfare agency says her grandson has been apprehended by another agency and authorities won't give her temporary custody despite her 15-year career in social work.

More >> Manitoba child services won't return toddler to social worker grandmother

Safety concerns arise as more Texas foster kids sleep in state offices

Two foster kids stole a car. Another one threatened to hurt herself. Another broke a girl’s nose and gave a Child Protective Services worker a concussion.

More >> Safety concerns arise as more Texas foster kids sleep in state offices

• Armed guards monitor foster kids sleeping in Texas state offices

DCF Commissioner: 'I Have No Plans to Resign'

The Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families vowed Thursday to stay on in her current role, and not give in to criticism coming from the political right.

More >> DCF Commissioner: 'I Have No Plans to Resign'

• Mother of child at center of DCF investigation speaks out

Following near-death of child, people call for DCF commissioner to step down

There are renewed calls this week for the state Department of Children and Families Commissioner to step down or be removed after the release of a report saying DCF was at fault for the near death of a toddler from Groton.

More >> Following near-death of child, people call for DCF commissioner to step down

Arizona Department of Child Safety rejects key provisions of audit

An audit outlines 15 steps for DCS to take to get kids into permanent homes; DCS rejects 11, says many of the ideas won't help.

More >> Arizona Department of Child Safety rejects key provisions of audit

Before Baby Justice's death, CPS report had red flags

Justice Rees was only 20 days old when his body was found in a cold, remote slough in February 2015 near Knights Landing, but there may have been red flags before his death, according the Yolo County CPS investigation released Thursday.

More >> Before Baby Justice's death, CPS report had red flags

Children's Court judge reacts to troubling CPS report

Findings released Tuesday by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services show that thousands of children at risk of further abuse or neglect are not being checked on as required by the agency.

More >> Children's Court judge reacts to troubling CPS report

Foster Care or Foster Fraud?

Our Foster Care System needs reform. The life of liberty and luxury is taken for granted. There are children in the United States who have never had a chance at experiencing the things we individuals take for granted.

More >> Foster Care or Foster Fraud?

Sperm donor fathers '100 children' in four years by offering his services for free on FACEBOOK

A sperm donor claims he could have fathered up to 100 children in four years by offering his services for free on FACEBOOK.

More >> Sperm donor fathers '100 children' in four years by offering his services for free on FACEBOOK

Mother of Child in DCF Abuse Case Planning to Sue

The birth mother of a baby boy in the center of a Department of Children and Families investigation is planning to sue the state agency. The state’s Office of the Child Advocate said the child nearly died after DCF put him in foster care.

More >> Mother of Child in DCF Abuse Case Planning to Sue

• Senate minority leader calls for firing of DCF commissioner

Social worker turnover damaged understanding of boy’s case, finds serious case review

Rapid turnover of social workers contributed to the breakdown of a council’s understanding of the circumstances facing a fostered child who died, a serious case review has found.

More >> Social worker turnover damaged understanding of boy’s case, finds serious case review

The Pulse: Outgoing DCYF Director On Overhauling An Agency In Crisis

The search is underway for a new director of the state’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families. For this week’s The Pulse, Rhode Island Public Radio’s Kristin Gourlay sits down with outgoing director Jamia McDonald to learn what’s changed for children and staff since she took the reins a year and a half ago

More >> The Pulse: Outgoing DCYF Director On Overhauling An Agency In Crisis

Prosecutors to review case for possible felonies

Prosecutors will confer before making a decision if any charges will be filed against the foster parents accused of abusing a 22-year-old developmentally disabled man.

More >> Prosecutors to review case for possible felonies

Rotterdam calls for compulsory contraception for ‘incompetent’ mothers

Rotterdam city council has called for mothers who are judged incapable of raising children to be given compulsory contraception by court order.

More >> Rotterdam calls for compulsory contraception for ‘incompetent’ mothers

Mississippi Cop who Left Toddler in Patrol Car to Die Lost Custody Last Year for Doing Same Thing

The Mississippi cop who left her 3-year-old daughter in her patrol car for four hours while visiting another cop at his home last week, resulting in the toddler’s death, was temporarily stripped of custody last year after leaving her daughter in the car in a previous incident.

More >> Mississippi Cop who Left Toddler in Patrol Car to Die Lost Custody Last Year for Doing Same Thing

CPS suffers from shortage of case workers statewide

Thousands of kids in Texas at risk for abuse, all because of a shortage of child case workers. We wanted to know how it affects children here.

More >> CPS suffers from shortage of case workers statewide

First Nations advocates call foster care sex abuse report 'tragic'

First Nations advocates are calling for provincial action after B.C.'s representative of children and youth report found hundreds of B.C. children in foster care were victims of sexualized violence.

More >> First Nations advocates call foster care sex abuse report 'tragic'

28 people received clearance to work with kids despite child abuse, neglect backgrounds

Twenty-eight people who work or volunteer with children were erroneously provided child abuse clearances from the state Department of Human Services stating that they had no record of child abuse or neglect when they actually did.

More >> 28 people received clearance to work with kids despite child abuse, neglect backgrounds

Judge overturns abuse claims against foster mother

A McLean County judge on Tuesday overturned allegations of child abuse and torture leveled by the state's child welfare agency against a Heyworth woman who served as a foster parent to a child with a rare behavioral disorder marked by self-harm and lying about his injuries.

More >> Judge overturns abuse claims against foster mother

Number of Kids in Foster Care Cut 44 Percent Amid City Policy Change: Data

The number of children placed in foster care in New York City has been cut nearly in half in recent years, statistics show.

More >> Number of Kids in Foster Care Cut 44 Percent Amid City Policy Change: Data

Report finds fault with DCF for near-starvation of toddler

Connecticut's Office of the Child Advocate is blaming "the utter collapse of all safeguards" for the near-starvation and abuse of a toddler who was under the care of the Department of Children and Families.

More >> Report finds fault with DCF for near-starvation of toddler

• Critics Renew Call for DCF Commissioner to Resign
• Fasano Calls Again for Commissioner Katz to Resign Amid Child Advocate Report
• Child Advocate Finds DCF At Fault In Near Starvation Of Infant
• After Details Revealed In Baby's Near-Fatal Starvation, DCF Pledges Reforms, Defends Discipline Of 3 Workers
• Mother of Child in DCF Abuse Case Planning to Sue

Failure to protect indigenous children in care perpetuates cycle of abuse

“Groomed for a lifetime of victimization,” says Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond.

Too often, that is the tragic fate of kids in a child-welfare system that is supposed to protect them.

More >> Failure to protect indigenous children in care perpetuates cycle of abuse

CPS workers not making visits within time requirements

New data from the Department of Family and Protective Services shows that in more than 40 percent of child abuse cases from September in Travis County, CPS workers didn't visit within the critical time period of the first few hours.

More >> CPS workers not making visits within time requirements

• Report: Texas CPS Failures Left 14K Child Abuse Cases Unchecked
• Gov. Abbott says work still needed on child welfare system

Foster father charged with sexual abuse of child

Already charged with one count of sexually assaulting a foster child who lived in his home, a Breckenridge man arraigned last week could face more once a police investigation is complete.

More >> Foster father charged with sexual abuse of child

Mom arrested for allegedly pulling knife on foster mom in Kamloops Christian school parking lot

Kamloops RCMP arrested a 44-year-old mother who allegedly pulled a knife on a foster parent in the parking lot of Kamloops Christian School.

More >> Mom arrested for allegedly pulling knife on foster mom in Kamloops Christian school parking lot

• Angry mom pulls knife
• Charges laid in connection to alleged knife incident at Kamloops Christian School

Judge approves settlement with DSS over foster kids' care

A federal judge has approved a settlement with the Department of Social Services, ending a lawsuit that accused the agency of endangering the 3,400 foster children in its care.

More >> Judge approves settlement with DSS over foster kids' care

Foster mother charged in 2-year-old's death back in court

A Sioux Falls foster mother charged in the death of a two-year-old boy in her care appeared in court Tuesday.

More >> Foster mother charged in 2-year-old's death back in court

#OpExposeCPS Shannen's Dream - The Amazing Story of Shannen Koostachin

Arkansas Senator on CPS Kidnappings: “No Horror Movie Ever Prepared You for This”

Protecting the constitutional rights of innocent families and protecting children from abuse should not be an either/or proposition. Providing a method for the legislature (or some representatives of the people, but the legislature is already duly elected and constitutionally charged) to examine a secretive agency in a serious structured way while protecting the privacy of families, also should not be an either/or proposition.

More >> Arkansas Senator on CPS Kidnappings: “No Horror Movie Ever Prepared You for This”

Texas CPS workers miss key deadline in 14,000 child abuse cases

Despite efforts to overhaul Child Protective Services through new leadership and increased scrutiny, state investigators are still failing to quickly check on potentially abused and neglected children.

More >> Texas CPS workers miss key deadline in 14,000 child abuse cases

Judge: Family abused by DCS can keep $31M

A federal judge has denied the Indiana Department of Child Services' motion to reduce a $31 million judgment awarded to an Indiana family "destroyed" by accusations the parents had caused their 14-year-old daughter's death.

More >> Judge: Family abused by DCS can keep $31M

Texas Investigators Failed to Check on Thousands of At-Risk Children

On any given day in the past six months, nearly a thousand of Texas' "highest-priority" children — considered by the state to be at immediate risk of physical or sexual abuse — were not checked on even once by Child Protective Services investigators.

More >> Texas Investigators Failed to Check on Thousands of At-Risk Children

• CPS crisis continues, with more endangered children going unseen across Texas

Report finds fault with DCF for near-starvation of toddler

The state’s child advocate on Tuesday blamed “the utter collapse of all safeguards” for the abuse and near-starvation of a toddler who was under the care of the Department of Children and Families.

More >> Report finds fault with DCF for near-starvation of toddler

• Child Advocate Faults DCF For Child’s Near-Starvation
• State watchdog: Infant’s neglect suggests systemic failure at DCF

250-plus foster kids were victims of 'sexualized violence,' B.C.'s children's rep says

More than 250 B.C. foster children were victims of sexualized violence over the four years documented in a disturbing new report — an increasing trend that demands improved response and treatment, the children’s representative says.

More >> 250-plus foster kids were victims of 'sexualized violence,' B.C.'s children's rep says

• Hundreds of B.C. foster children victims of sexualized violence
• YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT CARE AT HIGH RISK OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE: REPORT
• Aboriginal girls most at risk of sexual violence in care: B.C. representative

13-year-old boy missing from foster home

Clay Wesley Green ran away from his foster home on Sept. 24 and has yet to be found, according to police.

More >> 13-year-old boy missing from foster home

Mom’s Drug Use During Pregnancy is Not a Crime Against Her Unborn Baby, Court Rules

The Associated Press reports a Michigan appeals court threw out a conviction against mother Melissa Lee Jones on Thursday, ruling that the state child abuse law does not apply to babies in the womb.

More >> Mom’s Drug Use During Pregnancy is Not a Crime Against Her Unborn Baby, Court Rules

New DCF system may predict families at high risk of fatalities

The Department of Children and Families is implementing a new system aimed at determining which families are at a higher risk of experiencing a maltreatment-related child tragedy, including a fatality.

More >> New DCF system may predict families at high risk of fatalities

AP NewsBreak: DA: Grand jury probing NY foster care system

A special grand jury has been empaneled to investigate New York's foster care system following the arrest of a suburban man on child sex abuse charges.

More >> AP NewsBreak: DA: Grand jury probing NY foster care system