Many States Lack Information To Monitor Maltreatment in Residential Facilities for Children in Foster Care

Why OIG Did This Review

States oversee residential facilities, and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides funding and oversight to States for children in foster care who meet certain eligibility requirements. Policymakers, news media, and advocacy groups have raised concerns about the effectiveness of oversight efforts to protect children in these settings. To assess how States monitor child maltreatment that occurs in residential facilities, we surveyed each State child welfare agency.

What OIG Found

Many States reported missing or incomplete information in key areas that could support enhanced oversight of residential facilities for children, although collecting and sharing this information is not required by Federal law.

• Nearly one-third of States could not identify patterns of maltreatment in residential facilities within their State.
• States had limited awareness of maltreatment that occurred across chains of residential facilities operating in multiple States.
• States reported challenges monitoring the safety of children placed in out-of-State residential facilities…