Data, analysis, and stories about foster care in Texas.
The Child Protective Investigations Advisory Committee held its first meeting March 18, 2026 — a significant move toward greater transparency and accountability in how Texas investigates allegations of child abuse and neglect.
Child drowning statistics from Texas DFPS show 10 children have already drowned this year. With summer approaching, water safety awareness is critical for preventing these preventable tragedies.
Released in November 2025, the DFPS Capacity Building Plan outlines how Texas will expand placement options, reduce reliance on congregate care, and strengthen family-based services for children with complex needs.
In its Self-Evaluation Report to the Sunset Advisory Commission, DFPS identified children's behavioral health gaps, investigation quality concerns, and Community-Based Care growing pains as the three issues that must be addressed.
Texas Child-Centered Care (T3C) replaces the decades-old Service Level System with 24 tailored service packages, outcomes-based funding, and a 32-month transition that aims to transform how 30,000+ children receive services.
Texas serves one of the largest child populations in the nation while maintaining relatively low foster care entry rates. A look at how prevention, early intervention, and Alternative Response are reshaping the state's approach.
DFPS investigated 587 possible child abuse and neglect-related fatalities in FY 2024, continuing a downward trend. Reports to the Statewide Intake Hotline fell 12.2%, but the agency cautions that procedural changes complicate direct comparisons.
An estimated 263,013 children in Texas live in kinship households — with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family friends. New data shows kinship placements reduce trauma, improve permanency, and save the state millions.