Legislation now before Congress seeks better accounting of “hidden foster care” — a widespread but poorly regulated practice relied upon by child welfare agencies to shuffle kids out of their parents’ homes without court oversight.
Indicating the non-political nature of the issue, the Foster Care Placement Transparency Act was introduced late last month by a bipartisan pair of lawmakers. Texas Republican John Cornyn and Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff are cosponsors of Senate Bill 5214. It would require states to track and publicly report how often families investigated by Child Protective Services are separated outside of formal procedures.
The parents involved are under pressure to have their children move to the home of a relative or close friend. In exchange, the workers do not file a petition with a juvenile or family court alleging abuse or neglect.
“Every child deserves a safe and loving place to call home with someone to nurture them to their full potential,” Cornyn said in a press release last week. “This legislation seeks to ensure that every foster child in Texas and throughout our country is accounted for and taken care of, regardless of their informal or formal custody arrangements.”