AUSTIN, Texas (KCBD) – Governor Greg Abbott, alongside the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Audrey O’Neill and Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams announced Texas is joining the Trump Administration’s “A Home for Every Child” initiative. The announcement comes during National Foster Care Month and reflects the state’s ongoing efforts to ensure every child in Texas has access to a safe, stable, and loving home.
The “A Home for Every Child” initiative, launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through ACF, supports President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s Executive Order “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.” The initiative aims to ensure that for every child who enters foster care, a licensed foster home or kinship placement is available – achieving a home-to-child ratio greater than 1:1 across participating states.
A national shortage of licensed foster homes continues to create barriers to stability and connection for children who need them most. Texas is committed to reversing that trend through strategic recruitment, expanded kinship support, and efforts to remove unnecessary obstacles that discourage qualified families from becoming foster parents.
As part of Texas’ participation in the initiative, DFPS will pursue the following priorities:
Expand recruitment and retention of licensed foster families through targeted, data-driven outreach across the state.Increase kinship placements by reducing barriers for extended family members and trusted adults in a child’s life to become licensed caregivers.Strengthen family preservation services that help families address challenges before entry into foster care becomes necessary.Streamline the licensing process to remove unnecessary red tape that delays the placement of children in qualified homes.Use real-time data to identify placement gaps and match children with the most appropriate available home.
Texas has made progress in recent years to improve outcomes for children and families involved with the child welfare system. DFPS continues to work with community partners, faith-based organizations, courts, and local child welfare boards to build the infrastructure needed to ensure no child waits for a home.
National Foster Care Month is observed each May to raise awareness about the more than 370,000 children in foster care nationwide and the families, professionals, and communities who support them.
To learn more about becoming a foster parent in Texas, click here.
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