Foster Care
Latest Stories

Oregon is placing foster children in unlicensed short-term rental homes and paying millions to do so
State officials are paying a religious nonprofit more than 100 times the amount they pay foster care parents to watch vulnerable children in unlicensed short-term rental homes.

Former Oregon foster child sues Department of Human Services
The lawsuit alleges the agency neglected the child with placements in foster homes with sexual and physical abuse.

Gov. Tina Kotek calls for more therapeutic foster homes, an end to housing kids in hotels
The state has spent about $25 million housing 462 kids in foster care in hotels since 2018. State of Oregon officials regularly spend more than $2,560 per kid, per night (which includes lodging, staffing and food) to house a child in temporary lodging.

Judge OKs class-action lawsuit alleging Oregon foster care dysfunction
Plaintiffs say Oregon's child welfare system is in disarray and must better protect youth under state care.

Case of missing Washington 5-year-old highlights secrecy around CPS cases
There are more questions than answers in the case of a missing former foster child from Grays Harbor County. Five-year-old Oakley Carlson has been unaccounted for since February of last year. Police say her parents aren’t cooperating with the investigation. Oakley’s former foster mom questions why Oakley was sent back to live with her parents after more than two years in foster care. The governor's office and the Department of Children Youth and Families won't answer questions about the case citing privacy laws and the ongoing law enforcement investigation.

Foster child abandoned, drugged out of state testifies in favor of legislative policies
This week, Uvea revealed her identity to a panel of lawmakers for the first time. She is now 11-years-old. She spoke in favor of a bill, Senate Bill 707, sponsored by Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, that would allow all Oregon youth sent across state lines between 2016 and 2019 to access all their relevant records documenting their time in a facility or facilities.
Amid more abuse allegations, Washington will stop sending vulnerable kids to Sequel facilities
Washington state is the latest to announce it’s severing ties with a for-profit company that has been accused of widespread neglect and abuse of kids. Oregon also relied on Sequel Youth and Family Services to care for vulnerable kids.

Improving Legal Representation And Outcomes For Oregon Foster Kids
We learn about the lax rules for lawyers who represent foster kids, and the pilot program that seems to be making a difference.

Lawsuit Alleges Oregon Failed To Care For Foster Kids
The state allegedly placed young children in a mold-ridden home that reeked of cat urine, with foster parents who physically and sexually abused the children.

Stories From Inside Oregon's Troubled Foster Care System
These women’s stories help illustrate how Oregon’s child welfare system is broken — and how it can be fixed.