Child Protective Services says more children in Texas leaving foster care
EL PASO, Texas -- More children here in Texas left foster care for permanent homes than entered the child welfare system this year, according to Child Protective Services.
CPS data from 2019 was released last week. It shows that more than 20,000 kids in Texas exited foster care and of those, more than 6,000 were adopted, more than half adopted by relatives.
Compare that to the data provided by CPS just three years ago when over 19,000 children entered foster care. More than 18,500 left and about 5700 children were adopted.
Angelica Simpson, the foster and adoption recruiter for Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, spoke with ABC-7's Stephanie Valle. While there are fewer foster children, Simpson says, there is still a need for foster parents.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, you must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or qualified alien at least 21 years of age. You can be single, married, divorced or widowed. You must also pass a background check and live in El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio or Brewster counties. Attendance at an informational meeting is also required. The next meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, January 6 and Monday, January 27. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. and are held at 501 South Hawkins near North Loop.
