This article from the Marshall Project describes some of the detrimental impacts the COVID-19 crisis has had on children in foster care in the U.S. "Most visits between birth parents and their children in foster care have been suspended or switched to phone calls," says the article. Additionally, some foster parents are also refusing to accept new children due to fears the children may be infected, according to the article. The crisis has also impeded child abuse investigations, as child welfare workers are "trying to do their investigating from the front door, or even over videochat, instead of going inside" for fear of spreading the illness.
"This comes on top of more universal parenting problems in the crisis, like widespread diaper and baby formula shortages and school and daycare closures that have left parents trying to juggle their jobs and home responsibilities." The article goes on to list "several ways that the U.S. child welfare system is buckling under the weight of a pandemic."