Foster Care Reform Efforts and Remaining Problems
Texas Appleseed's work around issues affecting youth and children is expanding to include advocacy for children in foster care in Texas.
It is an outgrowth of our ongoing efforts to improve the quality of legal representation of young defendants, to advocate for children—many of them with emotional and mental disabilities—housed in Texas Youth Commission, and to research how school discipline policies relate
to school dropout and future incarceration
Latest News
- Texas Appleseed and pro bono partner Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.are
conducting a statewide study examining current and best practices in advocating
for children in long-term foster care (Permanent Managing Conservatorship).
- Texas Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Lightsey was named a member of the Collaborative Council to the newly created
Permanent Judicial Commission on Children, Youth and Families.
- Texas Appleseed continues to investigate the status of foster children in the Texas Youth Commission and how to ensure
they receive the medical, educational and transition services they need.
Project Background
The number of children entering the Texas foster care system is growing—up 36 percent between 2003 and 2006. In the wake of state-approved
major foster care reforms in 2007, Texas Appleseed worked with pro bono partner Dewey & LeBoeuf, LLP to report on the status of foster care
in Texas. While the state has increased the number of caseworkers investigating reported child abuse and neglect, our research found
that the Texas foster care system remains underfunded and understaffed.
Particularly problematic is the shortage of conservatorship caseworkers responsible for seeing that the needs of foster care children
are met. The average daily caseload of conservatorship caseworkers in Texas is 45, almost double the national average of 24, and triple
the professional standard of 12 to 15 children per caseworker.
Texas Appleseed is now undertaking a study of how to best advocate for the needs of young people in long-term foster care (Permanent Managing
Conservatorship).
Pro Bono Partners
Texas Appleseed is grateful to Dewey & LeBoeuf, LLP and Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. for their work on foster care.
2007 Accomplishments
- Texas Appleseed release a report on the Texas foster care system written by Stephen Ryan of Dewey & LeBoeuf,
LLP. This report—"Texas Foster Care:
Current Issues, Reform Efforts and Remaining Problems"—provides a history of foster care reform in Texas and describes ongoing challenges.
- Texas Appleseed testified before the Texas Supreme Court on foster care needs and in support of the creation of a Permanent Judicial Commission
on Children, Youth and Families (which was established in November 2007).
Reports & Publications
Texas Foster Care: Current Issues, Reform Efforts and Remaining Problems
September 2007. To view the report, click here.
Media Coverage
"
Fix Texas' Foster Care Fix"
Houston Chronicle,
May 17, 2008
"
Sorting Through the Texas Polygamist Custody Case"
NPR,
May 8, 2008
"
Sect Children Face Another World, But Still No TV"
The New York Times,
April 26, 2008
"
The Future of the Polygamist Kids"
Time,
April 13, 2008
"
FLDS Kids May Overload Texas' Troubled Foster Care"
The Salt Lake Tribune,
April 09, 2008
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