What Should I do if I Suspect Foster Care Abuse?

Nearly every country has a foster care system. The US is not an exception. It too takes in parentless kids and assigns them a home. How does it do that? Most states have an agency that handles foster care. That agency reviews applications for foster parents. Then it conducts a home visit and interview process. That will determine if the parent/s is fit to raise the child. In the meantime, foster parents must become certified through training and education. They must also meet these criteria.

• All foster parents must be adults. Some states don’t allow senior citizens to be foster parents.


• Financial means.


• Safe living environment.


• A healthy lifestyle.


• Proper room for the foster child.

Once placed in foster care, children might only stay there a short time. Then, they might go back to the biological parents. They could also go to relatives or a different home. Foster care systems are designed to bridge the gap to long-term adoption placements.  Foster kids are not supposed to stay in the placement home long but some end up spending years there. Many states give financial reimbursement to foster parents for foster care costs.

Recent news has shed light on abuse in foster care. Stories have profiled the terrible ordeals kids were put through. Lawsuits were filed to seek justice. They tried to recoup money too. Children need lots of medical care after this trauma. That adds up, and someone needs to pay for it.

How are they abused? It depends on the situation. We generally see physical, mental, and sexual abuse. There can be other kinds too. The key is to pay attention and listen to the children. They’ll tell you a lot if you watch. Usually, someone close to the kid is the abuser. Think about the parents, their significant others, or others living there. While a random visitor might be the offender, that’s not usually the case.

Foster abuse is a particularly offensive problem. That’s true because it happens to kids who already have seen hard times. They’re sent to foster care for protection. Abuse is the polar opposite of that. Thus, it’s important to spot it and call it out. The next section shows you how you can help if you suspect foster care abuse or neglect. If you have questions, be sure to call us. We can help you figure out what to do. These situations are tricky. We’ll walk you through it!

You’ve taken the first step! You’ve noticed that a child is suffering in foster care. That means a lot. But what next? How do you help the child? Further, how do you seek help without risking more harm to him/her?

Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect is imperative to the child's well being. If you suspect a foster kid is being abused, use the legal system to report your fears. That state will have resources to process the matter. Some agencies like child protective services or family services employ professional staff members that can assess the risks and take appropriate action.

You can find your state’s agency and toll-free number by using the Child Welfare Information Gateway, run by the Children’s Bureau, Admin for Children and Families. The agency also direct you how to make a report of neglect or abuse.

Outside of reporting it to the appropriate authorities, be careful of taking further action. You might endanger the kid by doing so. Avoid injecting yourself into the situation. Consider the cops, medical, and other professionals before doing anything. At the very least, speak with your state’s agency (and possibly the policy) before doing anything.

Hopefully, this helps you figure out what to do if you see child neglect or abuse in foster care. However, in some cases, you might be required to respond to child abuse in foster care. We review those circumstances next.

Out of pure goodness, many of us will try to report foster care abuse. It’s just something we do when we see it. Many states, like Illinois, put an affirmative duty on professionals. This duty exists even if they’re not acting in their work capacity at the time. Who has to report abused or neglected foster children? Here’s a quick look.

• POLICE. Cops, truant, and probation officers must report all child neglect/abuse.


• SCHOOL. All kinds of teachers and daycare professionals must report child neglect/abuse.


• MEDICAL. Healthcare professionals must report child neglect/abuse.


• SERVICE. Social workers and state workers of related state agencies must report child neglect/abuse.

To find out what your duties are, call us today. We can provide legal assistance on what you need to do to help the kids the most!