A Federal appeals court has upheld much of Federal Judge Janice Jack’s ruling that Texas must do better when it comes to taking care of the state’s 10,000 foster care kids.
Jack was compelled to force the State of Texas to comply after Texas showed little sign that it was interested in repairing the state’s beleaguered foster care system.
The ruling came after reports that foster care children had been sleeping in the offices of some state employees.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has now ruled that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services needs more caseworkers with better training. The court is also requiring Texas to more quickly and thoroughly investigate cases where kids say they’re being harmed.
A recent Dallas Morning News editorial asserted, “It’s frustrating that some state officials seem more focused on fighting [the Federal] ruling than on making … the critical reforms to protect kids.”
