New York

It’s time to stop placing American foster children in institutions and other group settings, according to a new report by the national child welfare group Children’s Rights.

Continuing the practice, the report argues, unnecessarily harms children in government care.

Actor and comedian Tiffany Haddish has launched a program for current and former California foster youth to receive paid internships in media, arts and entertainment.

Haddish’s She Ready Productions, in partnership with the nonprofit Ready to Succeed, will provide the youth selected with training, mentorship and networking possibilities.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California – not to mention frustrated students and exhausted parents – got some good news Wednesday on the school-reopening front. 

Two days after Newsom (D) announced a budget deal aimed at incentivizing public schools to start reopening for in-person learning by the end of the month, the federal government approved the state’s request to use federal Medicaid funds to test low-income students enrolled in the state’s Medi-Cal health insurance plan for COVID-19.

On Tuesday, at least 70 people – state representatives, community organizations, child protection allies, and directly impacted families – gathered for a virtual town hall to discuss legislation being produced that would limit child welfare actions against black families in Minnesota.

The federal government is funding five locally conceived demonstration projects across the United States aimed at decreasing death and serious injury resulting from child abuse and neglect. This week, the plans for those test sites were revealed, with several focused on promoting safe sleep for infants or community collaborations on prevention.

Since the pandemic began one year ago, foster parents across the country have gone to extraordinary lengths to support the child welfare system.

One of the largest evangelical foster care and adoption agencies in the nation will now serve LGBTQ families everywhere it operates — a landmark shift in the child welfare field, where deep and enduring ties to faith communities have come into conflict with recent anti-discrimination laws and high court rulings.

The economic shutdowns, imposed by the government in an effort to keep Americans safe, have levied severe financial stress upon families. According to a study by Columbia University, an additional 8 million households have plunged into poverty.

Only 58% of teens in foster care live with a family, compared with 95% of kids 12 and younger, according to a recent report by Annie E.