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Safe Kids, Strong Families

Safe Kids, Strong Families

Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Safe Kids, Strong Families initiative unites and advances child welfare reforms across Virginia. Building on the Administration’s progress in foster care, kinship support, and child safety, this effort prioritizes family stability, reduces reliance on congregate care, and strengthens the workforce and services that support our most vulnerable children.

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Virginia is building a stronger, more family-centered foster care system by prioritizing kinship care—placing children with trusted relatives when separation from parents is necessary. Research shows children in kinship care experience greater stability and better long-term outcomes.

In May 2024, Governor Youngkin signed HB 27 and SB 39, creating the Parental Child Safety Placement Program. This program allows local departments of social services to safely place children with kin and provide the necessary support for reunification or permanent care.

As of April 2025:

  • Kinship placements have increased from 13% to 21.2% (1,024 children)
  • 661 children have been safely placed with relatives
  • Nearly 44% of these children have already been reunified with their parents

With a goal of reaching 35% kinship placements by the end of the Administration, Virginia is on a path toward stronger, more stable family connections.

Empowering Foster Youth

Every child in foster care deserves to be heard, supported, and empowered. In 2025, Governor Youngkin signed HB 1777, SB 1406, and SB 801 to ensure young people in Virginia’s foster care system have access to the support they need.

These new laws:

  • Ensure youth ages 12 and older are informed about their rights and the services available to them
  • Expand eligibility under the Children’s Services Act (CSA) to better support children in need of services (CHINS)
  • Strengthen the role of the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman as an independent advocate for foster youth

These bipartisan reforms reflect Virginia’s deep commitment to helping children overcome adversity and thrive.

Advancing Safe and Sound Solutions

Launched in April 2022, the Safe and Sound Task Force was created to end the crisis of foster children being placed in offices, hotels, or other temporary settings due to a lack of placement options. Since then, the initiative has made meaningful progress in creating safer, more stable environments for high-needs youth.

Key accomplishments:

  • Partnering with local agencies and providers to build capacity for emergency and long-term placements
  • Increasing the use of kinship and sponsored residential placements
  • Developing tools and guidance to improve case planning and placement decisions

Safe and Sound continues to close systemic gaps and help ensure every child in Virginia has a safe place to call home.

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