June 13, 2008

Foster Care and Permanency Task Force

Children served by the foster care system, regardless of their age, are not only coping with the events that lead to their coming into care, but also the personal grief and trauma. Without stable relationships and families, too many of these children and young adults may end up facing life's challenges and successes alone.

The Task Force found that serving children and their families requires coordination at the state level to ensure the best use of resources. This report expresses how essential it is to increase the human and monetary investment in Colorado's child welfare system in order to appropriately meet the needs of foster children. In addition, whenever possible, communication between biological parents, resource parents and agency workers should be maximized for continuity and mutuality to support children in out-of-home care. The recommendations in this report should help children maintain their existing attachments, build meaningful new attachments and promote the safety, well-being and permanence of children in Colorado's foster care system.