Enhancing support for wildfire-impacted foster children

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Research (initial work to identify and understand the problem)

The January wildfires in Los Angeles (LA) County were the latest in a string of devastating natural disasters California has faced in recent years. Of the many Angelenos impacted by the wildfires, approximately 250 were children and youth in foster care. When children and youth in foster care are evacuated or displaced during disasters, their trauma and instability are compounded by the increased difficulty in maintaining placements, nurturing important relationships, and minimizing disruptions in services.
Disaster-impacted children and youth in foster care must have access to dedicated resources to help them recover. The State has a legal responsibility to meet their needs, yet these young people rarely receive additional support to maintain stability or funding to cover unexpected costs in the aftermath of a disaster. Without critical support when stress is high and resources are stretched thin, children and youth in foster care can experience further trauma and instability.

Children Now proposes to work with foster youth, caregivers, LA County, and other stakeholders to enhance relief efforts for impacted foster children and youth. Specifically, we will:
Conduct surveys and focus groups with impacted youth and caregivers to develop a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges they faced during and after the fires, any gaps in support they may have experienced, and what they needed during that dire time. A deeper dive into the realities faced by youth and caregivers is key to informing which services and resources they really need after a disaster.
Share our findings and recommendations with the LA County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and other stakeholders responsible for meeting the needs of children and youth in foster care. We will lift up feedback from impacted young people and caregivers about specific opportunities to increase support for this vulnerable population as they continue to recover from the January wildfires and in the likely event of a future natural disaster.
Convene youth, caregivers, and LA County in a workgroup and facilitate their collaboration to develop practices and create resources to increase support for the foster care community during future disasters. A partnership reflecting community voice and county system expertise is critical to ensuring any new practices and resources are designed to meet the needs of children, youth, and caregivers and are effectively implemented.

As wildfires and other natural disasters grow more frequent and devastating, it is imperative that children and youth in foster care are protected to prevent further instability and trauma. This project will ensure LA County’s disaster relief practices meet the needs of children and youth in foster care during harrowing times by increasing access to the critical services and resources that the foster care community itself has identified as necessary. As a result, youth in foster care and caregivers will experience fewer disruptions in services such as therapy, health care appointments, and education services, and have access to enhanced resources to support their stability, recover from disasters, and ensure their well-being. Additionally, the changes made in LA County will become a model for other high-risk California counties as they seek to support this vulnerable population.