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An Overview of the California Foster Care System

An Overview of the California Foster Care System. Navigating the System. Child Welfare Services (CWS). This system is the safety net for protecting neglected and abused children Is a complex array of programs and services A primary CWS service and program is foster care

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An Overview of the California Foster Care System

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  1. An Overview of the California Foster Care System Navigating the System

  2. Child Welfare Services (CWS) • This system is the safety net for protecting neglected and abused children • Is a complex array of programs and services • A primary CWS service and program is foster care • The 24-hr out-of-home care provided to children in need of substituting parenting because their own families are unable or unwilling to care for them • The primary entryway into foster care

  3. Navigating the System • Many players have a role in providing for the safety, permanence, and well-being of children • The federal level • United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children, Youth, and Families • The state level • The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) • The Foster Care Ombudsman Office • The county level • The county social services department • The county probation department • The juvenile court

  4. Federal Level • The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children, Youth, and Families • Oversees state CWS/foster care • Issues regulations and policy • Conducts compliance reviews • Allocates CWS and foster care funds to the state

  5. State Level • The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) • Supervises county administration of CWS/foster care and allocates federal and state funds • The Foster Care Ombudsman Office • An autonomous entity within the California Department of Social Services • Investigates complaints and resolves concerns related to foster care • Staff includes former foster youth

  6. County Level • Each county has flexibility in how it operate the CWS program • Counties can differ in demographics, administrative structure, or childcare philosophy • Key county players • County agencies • Public and private service agencies • Caregivers / families

  7. County Level • The county social services department • Provides management for dependent children (children who have been removed from the custody of their parents by the juvenile court) • County social workers provide emergency response, assessment, and case management service • The county probation department • Provides case management for wards (youth in the juvenile justice system who are on probation) • Probation officers provide the same services to wards in the foster care system as social workers provide to dependents • The juvenile court • Determines if a child needs protection and makes decisions about the child’s future

  8. References • Foster, Lisa K. Foster Care Fundamentals: An Overview of California's Foster Care System. California State Library, California Research Bureau, 2001.

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