Advocates for foster children said they are encouraged by changes recently announced by Gov. Wes Moore Maryland鈥檚 foster care system, but they also believe any progress will depend on oversight and accountability.
鈥淚 am cautiously optimistic,鈥� said Francha Davis, executive director of .
The organization is a nonprofit that advocates for children in foster care and supports court鈥慳ppointed volunteers who serve as consistent voices for kids as their cases move through the system.
, Moore鈥檚 office said the reforms aim to improve oversight and capacity statewide, particularly for children with complex needs. They include statewide standards for one鈥憃n鈥憃ne caregivers and 37 additional licensed group home beds, which officials said could reduce disruptions and keep children out of temporary or inappropriate placements.
Davis said placement shortages have long contributed to instability, especially for children already dealing with trauma.
鈥淏ecause of the placement crisis, we have kids who are placed or mismatched with placements because there aren鈥檛 enough placements that match the kid,鈥� Davis said.
When kids are placed in settings that are either too restrictive or not supportive enough, Davis said it often leads to worsening behavioral problems.
Rob Scheer, founder of , a group that supports foster kids, said placement shortages have had real consequences for families navigating the system. Scheer grew up in foster care and later adopted five children from the system.
鈥淎s a dad of five kids adopted out of foster care, I have two sons who have been in and out of facilities, and the hardest thing was we couldn鈥檛 find placement,鈥� Scheer said.
Scheer said the state鈥檚 plan to expand licensed group home capacity will help, but he stressed that beds alone are not the answer.
鈥淵es, it鈥檚 going to help for us to have beds. But again, it鈥檚 not just the beds. These kids deserve to have homes,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have to stop thinking about whole beds. It’s having homes, it’s having stability.鈥�
Scheer said he credited Moore for drawing renewed attention to long鈥憇tanding problems in the system.
鈥淚 have to give Governor Moore kudos, because at least he鈥檚 doing something, at least he鈥檚 talking about it,鈥� Scheer said.
Both advocates said the success of the changes will come down to what happens after the announcements.
鈥淚 will tell you, it鈥檚 huge. If there鈥檚 accountability,鈥� Scheer said.
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