An Overview of the California Foster Care System Navigating the System

Child Welfare Services (CWS)  This system is the safety net for protecting neglected and abused children  Is a complex array of programs and services  A primary CWS service and program is foster care The 24-hr out-of-home care provided to children in need of substituting parenting because their own families are unable or unwilling to care for them  The primary entryway into foster care

Navigating the System  Many players have a role in providing for the safety, permanence, and well-being of children  The federal level United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children, Youth, and Families  The state level The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) The Foster Care Ombudsman Office  The county level The county social services department The county probation department The juvenile court

Federal Level  The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children, Youth, and Families  Oversees state CWS/foster care  Issues regulations and policy  Conducts compliance reviews  Allocates CWS and foster care funds to the state

State Level  The California Department of Social Services (CDSS)  Supervises county administration of CWS/foster care and allocates federal and state funds  The Foster Care Ombudsman Office  An autonomous entity within the California Department of Social Services  Investigates complaints and resolves concerns related to foster care  Staff includes former foster youth

County Level  Each county has flexibility in how it operate the CWS program  Counties can differ in demographics, administrative structure, or childcare philosophy  Key county players  County agencies  Public and private service agencies  Caregivers / families

County Level  The county social services department  Provides management for dependent children (children who have been removed from the custody of their parents by the juvenile court)  County social workers provide emergency response, assessment, and case management service  The county probation department  Provides case management for wards (youth in the juvenile justice system who are on probation)  Probation officers provide the same services to wards in the foster care system as social workers provide to dependents  The juvenile court  Determines if a child needs protection and makes decisions about the child’s future

References  Foster, Lisa K. Foster Care Fundamentals: An Overview of California's Foster Care System. California State Library, California Research Bureau, 2001.