2023 Key Child Welfare Policy Issues
These resources highlight policy opportunities in 2023 to help ensure children and youth in foster care find safety, stability and success, and to learn more about California’s child welfare system.
The Policies
2023 Key Child Welfare Policy Issues
This overview summarizes issues critical to the well-being of children and youth in foster care.
Employment
Youth with foster care experience face multiple barriers in securing and maintaining meaningful employment.
Disaster Response
Children and youth in foster care and their caregivers deal with a unique set of challenges in the wake of a natural disaster.
Stability for Children and Youth in Foster Care
Caregivers, children, and youth must have access to supports that are designed to stabilize placements and strengthen relationships.
Education of Students in Foster Care
With proper supports and services, students in foster care can overcome the unique barriers to education they face and thrive academically.
Transparency and Accountability for Students in Foster Care
Improved transparency around the targeted supports provided, adequate funding, and accountability for how funds are spent are key to improving the educational outcomes of students in foster care.
Family Urgent Response System (FURS) Implementation
FURS provides children and youth currently or formerly in foster care and their caregivers access to 24/7 trauma-informed supports.
Promoting the Health and Well-Being of Current and Former Foster Youth
To heal from prior trauma, youth currently and formerly in foster care need access to comprehensive health services tailored to their individual needs.
Opportunities to Learn More
Child Welfare Policy Roundtable
Co-hosted by the Assembly Foster Care Select Committee and Children Now, this monthly meeting highlights the major child welfare and foster care issues facing California.
Child Welfare Policy at Children Now
We aim to transform the child welfare system to ensure youth in foster care thrive.
Please contact Susanna Kniffen at [email protected] if you have any questions about the issues.
About Children Now
Children Now is a nonpartisan, multi-issue research, policy development and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children’s health and education in California. The organization also leads The Children’s Movement of California, a network of direct service, parent, civil rights, faith-based and community groups dedicated to improving children’s well-being. Learn more about us here.