Why Are Kids in Foster Care Sleeping in Offices and How Can We Stop It?

In recent years, some Kansas children in foster care have ended up sleeping in child welfare offices overnight because there were no foster homes or care centers available.

It’s not just Kansas; it’s happening in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Colorado, and more. Across the U.S., children are also staying in hospital ERs, hotels, and even out-of-state places, and some are experiencing one night “emergency” placements in foster homes. These varied situations are happening in Michigan, Montana, Georgia, Washington, West Virginia, and other states.

What’s behind this national crisis? Watch this short video for Alex’s story, a fictional story based on the lives of real-life children and families we serve.

In this video, you'll discover some of the reasons why children are removed from their homes and placed into foster care. You'll also hear why the social safety net for working families is badly damaged. Unfortunately, due to inadequate foster care prevention spending on supports like family support and mental health services, Kansas has twice the national rate of children in foster care. Federal reimbursement changes under the Family First Act have further amplified the problem, as youth with higher needs can't easily access the right placement settings.

No child should sleep in an office – it’s wrong. In addition, no child should be removed from a safe, loving caregiver to access mental or behavioral health services.

So as states, communities, and a nation, let’s invest in child and family wellbeing and help families before crises occur.

Let’s be a national leader in foster care prevention by expanding mental health treatment access, concrete economic supports, and community-based services.

With these changes, we’ll ensure families can access support. We’ll also ensure foster care is only used as a last resort when children experience abuse or neglect.