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Kansas' foster care program is improving, but kids still sleep in offices

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The Kansas foster care system has seen a 17% reduction in children in the states care, according to Secretary Laura Howard, who said the state has made significant progress placing children in more stable situations.
Carlos Moreno
/
KCUR 89.3
The Kansas foster care system has seen a 17% reduction in the number of children in the state's care, according to Secretary Laura Howard, who added the state has made significant progress placing children in more stable situations.

Care for children in Kansas' foster care system has been scrutinized for years. Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard says the state is making progress improving the system.

A class action lawsuit, high employee turnover, missing children and children sleeping in offices are among the many problems plaguing Kansas' foster care program.

An independent assessment of the troubled department shows improvements are being made, but children continue to stay overnight in child welfare offices.

Head of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Laura Howard, tells Up to Date what's being done to improve stability for children in the state's care.

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