Blog

General Assembly 2022: Child Welfare Wrap-Up

  • Child Welfare
  • State Advocacy

By Allison Gilbreath

The Foster Care system has been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last two years foster families have experienced greater financial stress, fewer foster parents have become trained, and turn over in the workforce has increased from already high levels. In some localities children have been sleeping in local department of social services offices while awaiting placement, resulting in the Governor calling a for a special “Safe and Sound” taskforce to address the urgent needs.

We are encouraged by the final budget including many of the initial priorities for foster care that Governor Northam introduced in December. Beyond those policies, several new programs were funded targeting older youth in care  about to transition to adulthood. Ultimately, we still have a long way to go to properly fund our child welfare system.

Here are the highlights of the budget for child welfare advocates:

Investing in the Infrastructure of Child Welfare

The instability of the foster care workforce and outdated technology are major challenges in Virginia’s child welfare system. According to a 2018 JLARC report, the quit rate for an entry-level Family Services Worker Specialist is 42%, with retention being an even greater issue in small, rural agencies.

Scale Up Evidence & Community-Based Practices to Achieve Better Outcomes for Children and Families

Provide Social Supports & Easier Path for Kinship Caregivers

Help Foster Care Youth Have Normal Adolescent Experiences

Virginia continues to rank 49th in the country for youth in foster care aging out without a permanent connection. Investments in this area are desperately needed to support transition age youth.

Supporting the Efforts of the Safe and Sound Taskforce

After the budget was reconciled, Governor Youngkin introduced these budget amendments  recommended by the Safe and Sound Task Force which will continue to meet to address the current crisis in placement and the systems level changes needed to prevent children from entering foster care.


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