Kansas State Joint Committee on Children's Issues Discusses Foster Care System

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The State Joint Committee on Childrens issues finished the second day of its two-day hearings on foster care and adoption Tuesday.
Reporter: Sylvia Petty
Email Address: sylvia.petty@wibw.com

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) The State Joint Committee on Childrens issues finished the second day of its two-day hearings on foster care and adoption Tuesday.

The committee heard testimonies from families whose children were taken and placed in foster homes on Monday.

The families spoke of abuse by law enforcement and the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) when their children were taken from their homes; and some of the families spoke of abuse afflicted on their children while in foster care.

Claudine Dombrowski, with the Kansas Family Court Reform Coalition, was at the session, alongside families whose children were taken, and said there needs to be more done for parents rights in keeping their children

Somebody could make a phone call to you, or call social services, or to anybody and say, Guess what? Youre not watching your kid. All of a sudden your kids gone.

State Senator David Haley (D), said that yes there are issues and concerns to be worked out with the foster care system, but that the focus is on the well being of the children.

Sometimes children need to be protected from their own families, he said.

Tuesday, an audit was presented and discussed, regarding to the financial side of foster care. The committee discussed the states contracts in the matter, as well as abuses associated with the money foster parents receive.

As much as we appreciate [foster parents] services, also that theyre not overly compensated for providing service to children who are in need of care, Sen. Haley said.

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