Organizations & Resources

 

 

 

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Do you work with individuals that could benefit from our services?

Our brochure provides information about KDCA in an easy to print format.

Download our Brochure

News and Information

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Updated Youth Court Report

The office of judicial administration recently updated the Youth Court Report. The report is a tool for children in foster care to communicate with the court. Individuals in foster care can decide how much of the report they want to complete. This information can then be shared with professionals involved in the case to help determine the youth’s needs and create plans to assist with those needs. If a youth wishes to submit a report to the court, they must first send it to their guardian ad litem (GAL) for review and then the GAL should submit the report to the court. Click below to download the Youth Court Report.

Download the Youth Court Report

 

 

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KDCA Talks About Foster Parent Retention in Kansas

Kerrie Lonard, KDCA Child Advocate, had a recent conversation with The Imprint Weekly Podcast to share about the KDCA initiated survey of former foster parents in Kansas to better learn why foster parents stop fostering. Click below to listen to the full podcast. To read more about the survey, you can find the full report issued by KDCA on our website under the Reports tab.

Imprint News Podcast

 

 

 

Foster Alumni Have Ideas to Improve Child and Family Wellbeing

iFoster is a national based nonprofit 501c3 focused on assisting youth in care access resources and opportunities, targeting youth aging out, support for caregivers, as well as agency service providers.  Recently, iFoster released their “Lived Experience Guide to Fixing Foster Care”.  This guide is a “collection of over 6,000 voices from all 50 states” from those with lived experience.  The guide sets out 7 specific recommendations for national and state leaders, service providers, and communities to consider:

  • Put the Child at the Center
  • Prevention Through Poverty Alleviation
  • Caregiver Profession
  • Auto-Enroll in Services
  • Invest in Workers
  • Child Welfare Doesn’t End at Exit
  • Self-Sufficiency Exits Are a Choice   
Read the Full Guide

 

 

 

The Representative Gail Finney Memorial Foster Care Bill of Rights

Have you heard about the Foster Care Bill of Rights that was signed into Kansas law in 2023?

Are you a Youth in foster care, a Foster Parent, or a Kinship Caregiver to a child in Foster Care?

Click to read more about rights for Foster Caregivers and Youth

 

 

 

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Foster Parent Court Reports

Do you want to make sure that the Court, DCF, and Case Managers have all the information about your foster child’s progress and/or service needs?

Did you know that Kansas Statute gives you the RIGHT to submit a report to the court just like the youth’s case manager?

Read on to learn more

 

 

 

How the Child Welfare System Works

What is the child welfare system?

What happens when possible abuse or neglect is reported?

What happens after a report is screened in?

What happens in substantiated cases?

Read on to learn more

 

 

 

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From Complaint to Resolution: Understanding the Child Welfare Grievance Process

Have you ever wondered the following:

What are some common grievances?

What is the general grievance Process?

Who is an ombudsperson or advocate?

When can the Federal Government intervene?

Learn More about the Process

 

 

 

 

Group of teens sitting on cement steps
Using Your Voice: A Guide for Youth on Participating in Case Planning

What is youth engagement and why is it important?

What is case planning?

How can you participate in case planning?

What are your rights as a youth in care?

How can you become involved in advocacy efforts to elevate youth voice in child welfare?

Additional resources for youth in care.

Learn More
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Kansas Family First Family Council

Are you the caregiver of a child in Kansas?

Do you have experience with Kansas Child Welfare or Prevention Services as a caregiver or as a youth?

Do you want to help shape services and resources in Kansas to support children and families?

We Need Your Voice!