Illinois lawmakers have approved a budget that could lead to layoffs in the state’s troubled Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and reduce programs that have helped keep kids out of foster care. Governor Pat Quinn called the cuts “unacceptable” and could make changes before signing the budget by the July 1 deadline. The […]
A trio of convictions in a shocking Los Angeles child torture and abuse case has shed new light on failings in the county’s beleaguered Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The Los Angeles Times reports: A 5-year-old boy, known only as Johnny, was rescued from a dark closet in San Bernardino County in 2009. […]
The hard part was supposed to be over for R.H., a young boy in Oregon’s child welfare system, when he was adopted by foster parents Alona and Roger Hartwig. However the Department of Human Services (DHS) repeatedly failed to protect him and other children from the Hartwig’s horrific abuse, according to a suit filed on […]
For many, turning 18 means being one step closer to becoming a happy, successful adult. Unfortunately, for some foster youth turning 18 means they’re on their own. The Epoch Times reports: “People don’t realize that at 18, when their own kids are going to prom or preparing for college, these kids are going to homelessness,” […]
Many young people think of graduation when the calendar reaches June. However, for a disturbing number of the nation’s foster youth, graduating from college can seem out of reach. UCLA’s Bruin Guardian Scholars Program is looking to change that by helping former foster youth overcome the obstacles they face. The UCLA Newsroomreports: While almost all […]
When 16-year-old Darlene Armstrong arrived at the emergency room, she weighed only 23 pounds. Unable to walk or talk and afflicted with cerebral palsy, the medical stuff was stunned by Darlene’s emaciated body. The Chicago Tribune reports: The doctors at Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago agreed the girl had been starved for […]
Lisa and Jorge Alvarez knew they wanted children, so when they found out they couldn’t conceive, they decided to adopt. In the years since, they’ve adopted two children and fostered many, many more. The Miami Herald reports: The Southwest Miami-Dade, Fla., couple has fostered [90] kids since they decided to take in a baby boy […]
The high rate of psychotropic drug prescriptions for children in foster care has long been a point of concern for Children’s Rights and other child welfare experts. A federal study by the United States Government Accountability Office shows that 35 percent of foster children are prescribed psychotropic drugs, compared to just 10 percent of other […]
The Children’s Rights blog previously covered California Judge Michael Nash’s decision to open Los Angeles County family court proceedings to the public. Since the change, Jim Newton of the Los Angeles Times has been following one child’s journey through the system and the hidden costs of court delays on her foster family. Newton chronicled his […]
Lerone Matthis was living life on the streets as another one of California’s homeless former foster youth. However, some unexpected opportunities and Matthis’ own courage have turned his life around.Care2 shares his story: Matthis grew up in Richmond and entered the foster care system when he was a teen. He was moved from group home […]
