Fundamental Reform Needed for Oregon’s Foster Care System
On February 4, 2008, The Oregonian reported on some sobering results from a federal review of Oregon’s foster care system. Oregon failed 11 out of the 14 areas identified as critical to a foster child’s well-being. The report concluded that Oregon has a serious shortage of foster homes, reports of abuse and neglect were not answered in a timely manner, and caseworkers aren’t checking in with kids and parents as often as they should, among other problems.
Read the entire article, entitled: “Oregon’s foster care fails nearly every way.”
Also, be sure to read another article by The Oregonian from February 21, 2008 entitled: “Kids lose out to paperwork.”
Now is the time to fix the system and Children First for Oregon intends to lead the way over the next year to fundamentally reform foster care in our state. The problem is curable, but it will take a strong commitment from elected leaders and every Oregonian to do what’s right for these children.
The first step has already begun. Children First for Oregon’s Executive Director, Robin Christian, was recently appointed to head the new Child Safety Workgroup. This workgroup is developing an action plan for the state to improve the safety and well-being of children who have been abused or neglected. Under Robin’s leadership, the workgroup is expected to issue recommendations by May 2008 that will prioritize:
1. Reducing the number of child abuse and neglect victims in Oregon;
2. Improving family stability;
3. Reducing the number of abused children coming into foster care by improving in-home and relative supports; and
4. Ensuring that children who do enter foster care live in safe, supportive and healthy environments where they can grow and thrive.
Robin’s participation in the Child Safety Workgroup serves as only one piece of Children First for Oregon’s larger “Fostering Success” initiative, which seeks to establish deep-seated change in Oregon’s child welfare system. The “Fostering Success” campaign will bring together a diverse coalition of partners that will develop a specific set of policy recommendations for the 2009 Legislature, along with building broad public support to reform Oregon’s failing foster care system.
Sign-up for our Children’s Action Network email newsletter today and we’ll keep you up-to-date on how you can help make Oregon’s foster care system a national model of excellence.
Comments
i am a social work undergrad at Pacific University in Forest Grove. My current social work : Macro class has put us into an advocacy project working to educate about the CRC. Is there anything that can be done to come together with Children First in terms of events or getting the word out about issues, and even going after legislators for reform? Willing to go to Salem if need be. I would love to here back from whomever.
Posted by eric ozenne