Kansas Foster Care System Missed Performance Targets
A new compliance report highlights ongoing challenges in providing stable housing and mental health care to children.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Child Care
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A report from the Center for the Study of Social Policy found that Kansas failed to meet 6 of 10 court-mandated performance targets for foster care in 2025. The data shows significant instability for youth in state custody, particularly regarding placement moves and mental health service access.
Why it matters
Residential instability often blocks children from accessing essential mental health services, a problem compounded by high caseloads for state case managers. These ongoing systemic failures impact the long-term well-being of the 5,000 children currently in the state foster care system.
During 2025, over 300 children experienced more than six placement moves, while 136 children spent 870 total nights without proper placement. Notably, 94% of these placement failures occurred in Sedgwick County.
The players
Center for the Study of Social Policy
A Washington, D.C.-based research organization that monitors child welfare systems and evaluates compliance with court-ordered reforms.
Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF)
The state agency responsible for overseeing child protective services and the foster care system for approximately 5,000 children.
The details
The report highlights how high employee turnover and hiring challenges led to heavy caseloads, which reduced the time case managers spent with families. While 96% of children received initial trauma screenings, only 63% were able to access ongoing mental health services due to residential instability. Furthermore, placement relocations for Black foster youth were 24% higher than for white children, even though Black children make up 15% of the total population in DCF custody.
Timeline
November 2018: The McIntyre v. Howard class-action lawsuit was filed.
2025 calendar year: The period covered by the compliance report.
September 2026: The Center for the Study of Social Policy released its findings.
The Home Front
This compliance report updates the status of the state’s progress under the McIntyre v. Howard class-action suit settlement. It measures current performance against court-mandated benchmarks for foster care stability that have been in place since the litigation began.
Families and community advocates should monitor future state updates regarding the plan to exit court oversight for placement stability. Resources regarding local foster care support and trauma-informed services can be verified through the official Kansas Department for Children and Families website.
The takeaway
The state remains under court scrutiny as it works to address high placement instability and disparities in service delivery. Residents interested in system performance should track future reports from the Center for the Study of Social Policy regarding the 2026 oversight benchmarks.
Further reading
For broader context on family support and state resources, see our Child Care section.
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