Federal Judge Halts New Placements Of Texas Children To Foster Group Homes Without 24-Hour Awake Supervision

On December 17, 2015 as part of a court ruling ordering a sweeping reform to the Texas foster care system, a federal judge ordered the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to immediately halt new placements to foster group homes without 24-hour awake supervision. DFPS plans to appeal the ruling.

The order was effective immediately. As of August 2014, there were 932 children residing in DFPS foster group homes, about 3% of the total 28,000 children in Texas foster care. Family group homes that notified DFPS they provide or would begin to provide 24-hour awake . . .