Child Welfare-Involved Children and Families in San Francisco
Child Welfare-Involved Children and Families in San Francisco: Understanding a Unique Population: Families with Children Aged 0–5 in a Family Maintenance Placement
Across California and in San Francisco, children aged 0–5 represent over one-third of the child welfare system-involved population, with an over-representation of marginalized and under-resourced racial and ethnic groups. San Francisco has made significant progress in supporting children and families at risk for entering, or currently involved in, the child welfare system due to neglect or abuse. However, much work remains.
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of families with children aged 0–5 in Family Maintenance (FM) placements in San Francisco City and County. We
believe there is a unique opportunity to better address the needs of this group—upstream in the prevention continuum—based on the following:
1. Although system-involved children aged 0–5 receive the highest level of supports, those in FM consistently receive less support than children and families in out-of-home placements.
2. The goal of FM is to keep families together. However, in 2022 (the most recent year with full data) children were removed nearly 20% of the time. Better, faster access to the right supports could keep more children safely with their parents.
3. Approximately 85% of families investigated by CPS have incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).1 Usually this means they are covered by Medi-Cal with the potential to receive expanded services and supports under CalAIM.