Child Welfare System Is Changing, But Slowly

There has been a slow, decade-long movement in the child welfare system to move away from congregate care. The emerging “delivery system” for children in custody of the state includes an increase in the use of foster homes, a significant reduction in the number of group homes and other non-family-based residential settings, and an increase in kinship care — all with the ultimate goal of family reunification (see California Launching “Continuum Of Care” Reform Initiative For Foster Care, 27% Of Children In Foster Care In Kinship Placements, and Oregon Child Welfare To Pilot Two Foster Care Models, One . . .