Washington

Washington Highlights

2018 Report by the Office of Family and Children's Ombuds

In addition to complaint investigations, OFCO monitors practices and procedures within the child welfare system and makes recommendations to better serve children and families. Systemic issues discussed in this report include: the ongoing use of hotels as emergency placements for children in state care and the need for a continuum of placement resources; foster care and involvement in the criminal justice system; meeting the educational needs of youth in out of home care; and enhancing parent-child and sibling visits.

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Facts & Data

10,161 Children 0-17 in foster care

5% Youth who are not with a family (in group/institution)

22 Average length of stay for children in FC (months)

704 Number of children at risk for aging out

33% Youth with 1 placement

26% Youth with 2 placements

15% Youth with 3 placements

26% Youth with 4 or more placements

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Contact

• Web www.dshs.wa.gov/children

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Policy Topics

Access to health care Adoption Birth & foster parent partnership Caseworker support Child health Child well-being COVID-19 Decision making Education Family First Act Family permanence Financial support foster care caseload Foster Parent Bill of Rights Foster parent feedback Foster parent licensing Foster parent support foster parenting Kinship care National Foster Parent Day National Foster Parent Month Opiods Oversight Permanence Prevention Quality Parenting Initiative Recruitment Respite care Retention Stability Training Visitation Youth transition to adulthood Youth voice

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Year

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

Author

Brad Hansen CHAMPS Crystal Charles Marci

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Results

Most Recent Alphabetical Grouped by Type Relevance to State

Foster Care as a Support to Families (ACYF-CB-IM-20-06)

published: Apr 29, 2020

author: CHAMPS

topics: Child well-being, Family permanence

type: Blog Post

state: National

The CHAMPS campaign commends the U.S. Children's Bureau for issuing important and significant guidance to child welfare agencies on the role of foster care as a support to families in ways that mitigate trauma for children and parents, expedite safe…

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Family First Transition Act: Federal Funds Available to Support Family-Based Care

published: Mar 10, 2020

author: CHAMPS

type: Blog Post

state: National

In December 2019, Congress enacted the Family First Transition Act, which includes $500 million in new federal funding to be allocated in one-time grants to state and tribal child welfare agencies to help them address implementation challenges of the Family…

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Program Instruction on Family First Transition Act, Family First Prevention Services Act (February 2020)

published: Mar 9, 2020

author: CHAMPS

type: Fact Sheet

state: National

On February 27, 2020, the Children's Bureau issued a Program Instruction (ACYF-CB-PI-20-04) to provide guidance to child welfare agencies on actions required to apply for one-time Family First Transition Act grants.  The PI describes allowable uses of Transition Grant funding…

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Children’s Bureau Issues Information Memoranda on Data-Driven Foster Parent Recruitment and Family Time for Children in Foster Care

published: Feb 26, 2020

author: CHAMPS

type: Blog Post

state: National

Children’s Bureau Issues Information Memoranda on Data-Driven Foster Parent Recruitment and Family Time for Children in Foster Care The federal Children’s Bureau has issued new Information Memoranda (IMs) that are relevant to two of the CHAMPS policy priorities, data-driven foster…

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Improving placement stability in foster care: Excellent resources from Casey Family Programs

published: Dec 20, 2019

author: CHAMPS

topics: Recruitment, Retention

type: Blog Post

state: National

See this excellent brief by Casey Family Programs, "Key strategies to improve placement stability in foster care," which highlights effective strategies based on a survey of child welfare leaders and professionals from 44 states and counties.  Strategies include: Placing children…

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See the Latest

CHAMPS is an exciting new policy campaign with dozens of partner organizations working together to highlight the vital importance of foster parents to the health and well-being of children in foster care. Check out what’s going on nationally and in the states.

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