Vulnerable children and their families cannot be forgotten as our child welfare system buckles during the global fight to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
Every day we hear stories of children displaced; communication breakdowns between youth in foster care and their birth parents; and we fear an increase in child abuse cases. The Marshall Project posted a recent article, Coronavirus Leaves Foster Children With Nowhere to Go, which outlines the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on our child welfare system. “Two youth advocates said in interviews that in this climate, they fear foster children are at risk of becoming ‘the new lepers.’”
While the Families First Coronavirus Response Act includes vital provisions to address the growing concerns during the COVID-19 crisis, this is merely a first step towards protecting our most vulnerable populations.
Join us in asking your elected officials to prioritize our country’s most vulnerable children and families by expanding child welfare funding.
This crisis is escalating. Older adults caring for children and youth in foster care need our help. Our child welfare workforce needs our help so that they can continue to serve the community safely. Contact your elected officials today to urge them to expand child welfare funding to help states meet the needs of the child welfare system. Reach your Senator on Twitter or click here to email your Senator.
Disclaimer: The information and materials on this web site are intended for informational purposes only and are not intended to be treated as legal advice.