Austin News

U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Jon Ossoff have introduced the Foster Care Placement Transparency Act. This legislation aims to require states to measure and publicly report on children who are separated from their parents in informal foster care arrangements, often referred to as "hidden foster care." These arrangements involve placing a child with a caregiver informally without formal state intervention or oversight.

Senator Cornyn emphasized the need for every child to have a nurturing environment, stating, “Every child deserves a safe and loving place to call home with someone to nurture them to their full potential.” He stressed that the legislation seeks accountability for all foster children, regardless of custody arrangements.

Senator Ossoff highlighted his prior investigation into the safety of foster children across Georgia and the nation, which revealed significant issues. “Last year, I led a 13-month investigation into the safety of foster children in Georgia and nationwide, which uncovered widespread abuse and neglect of our most vulnerable children,” he said. The bipartisan effort with Senator Cornyn aims to enhance federal oversight over state systems and better protect children from various forms of abuse.

The issue of hidden foster care arises when state agencies place children with relatives without formal proceedings or court involvement. Although this can provide emotional benefits by keeping families together, it also results in less transparency and accountability for children's safety due to lack of official tracking or data collection.

Texas has already enacted measures requiring Child Protective Services to inform parents about legal rights before initiating hidden foster care arrangements. These measures also include time limits on placements and data tracking requirements. The new bill proposes that all states adopt similar practices by providing basic data on diverted custody cases to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which would then report findings annually to Congress.