Department Of Family And Protective Services

It’s been eight months since Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate the families of trans youth for providing gender-affirming care. Since then, some families have left the state. Those who stayed have weathered anxiety and the dizzying back-and-forth of legal battles.

The state has been investigating whether parents who provide access to gender-affirming health care are committing child abuse. The temporary restraining order is part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of three families and members of PFLAG, an LGBTQ advocacy group.

The ACLU and Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit on behalf of three families currently under investigation, as well as more than 600 Texas-based members of PFLAG, an advocacy group for LGBTQ+ families.

Last month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the state’s child welfare agency to investigate family and medical providers who help young transgender youth receive gender-affirming care. The move immediately attracted a legal challenge and condemnation across the country from LGBTQ+ advocates. They say the state policy is part of a years-long campaign against trans youth in Texas — and it’s inspired one young Texan to speak out.

Court documents and an emergency federal hearing shed light on an investigation into a Bastrop-based residential treatment program and allegations from at least eight girls of sex trafficking.

At least 23 children have died in foster care since 2019; many are also sleeping in state offices rather than in foster homes.

From Texas Standard:The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services recently released new internal guidelines that cut the caseloads of foster care…

Texas lawmakers have already convened several times this year to discuss rampant – and persistent -- problems in the state’s foster care system. On…

The state’s child welfare agency is suffering from high employee turnover among caseworkers and is having trouble replacing them.In a new report, Texas…