West Virginia- A former child protective services worker and current kinship caregiver is now serving as West Virginia’s new foster care ombudsman.
The state continues to struggle with finding placements for around 6,000 children in its foster care system, along with a worsening shortage of child welfare workers.
Jessica Bryant, director of the foster care ombudsman division for the West Virginia Office of Inspector General, said the state continues to see high numbers of kids entering care. She added her role is to ensure kids remain safe and cared for.
“If you are a child in foster care, a relative kinship or a provider, and something does not feel right, just know that the foster care ombudsman program is here to listen and help navigate a very complex system,” Bryant emphasized.
Lawmakers created a foster care ombudsman in 2019 under House Bill 2010, with the aim of improving advocacy for children and parents, resolving complaints, and acting as a watchdog for managed care services providers.
West Virginia is also facing a serious shortage of child protective services workers. A few years ago, around a third of positions statewide remained vacant. Now, the state reports years of attempts to attract more people to the job are working. Bryant stressed case workers are critical for identifying risks early on and connecting families to resources before situations escalate.
“Prevention and safety are not competing goals,” Bryant underscored. “When families get the right help at the right time, children are safer, and fewer of them need to enter the foster care system.”
According to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, nearly 40% of foster children and youth experience more than two placements each year, meaning their living arrangements change at least three times a year.
