Audit Points To Continuing Problems With Foster Care System

The second phase of a state audit of Missouri’s foster care system finds more problems with how the system is monitored. The first phase, released some months ago, raised concerns about a lack of in home visits and an absence of foster parent background checks. State Auditor Claire McCaskill says adequate background checks are still not being conducted – and when they are – people with criminal records that should exclude them from being foster parents are given these children. The report also found residential providers being paid for runaway children, databases not up to date, and an inability to determine the average caseload per foster care worker.