Foster children still regularly sleep in offices instead of homes despite the Kansas Department for Children and Families settling a lawsuit by agreeing to end the practice.
Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert Smith exploited a lack of financial controls and board oversight to drain the nonprofit’s resources on an IT project and escalating management expenses that included use of taxpayer funds for personal travel, liquor and entertainment.
A mother’s testimony about failure of the state’s child support collection system to deliver more than $53,000 owed by her daughter’s father inspired a rousing assault by legislators on state contractors Maximus and YoungWilliams.
The influence of institutional racism in the Kansas child welfare system can be depicted with statistics showing Black children were disproportionately investigated and removed from the home as well as reports demonstrating more rapid reunification of white children with their families.
Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service
The Kansas Department for Children and Families says it works to make sure gay, lesbian and transgender foster children end up in welcoming homes, but nothing in state law requires special consideration.
Tricia Masenthin / The Lawrence Times
A local mother is demanding corrective action after her child suffered heat exhaustion in the care of a Lawrence preschool. As she’s pondered her child’s experience, her mind has gone to “dark places” — including wondering if racism played a role.
Low-income Kansans will have wider access to childcare assistance tied to federal aid authorized in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, state officials said Thursday.
A new report by state auditors confirmed overrepresentation of Black children in Kansas foster care and that Black and American Indian children in the system were less likely than white children to be reunified with their parents.
Tina Miller, a Comanche County resident who has provided foster care to dozens of kids and adopted three, is telling concerned foster parents to call their state representatives and senators and ask if they are willing to help.
Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector
Lawmakers say the death of an autistic boy in state custody demonstrates the need for more accountability within the Kansas foster care system.
