Missouri's foster care

The Kansas City Star

Missouri puts too little money into [foster care]. Lawmakers talk about reforming the system, but they ignore the connection between continuing problems and a lack of state funding. ...

The state already has taken steps to improve background checks for foster parents. But more needs to be done, and that involves the legislature.

Earlier this year the General Assembly's stab at foster-care reform missed the mark. Gov. Bob Holden appropriately vetoed the bill. It would have limited the public's access to records, blocked the state in its investigations of allegations, and required many child-welfare cases to be transferred to private agencies without thorough study.

For reform to occur, lawmakers need to face facts: The state needs better trained workers, and more of them. And the state needs to improve the quality of foster-care parenting. Missouri must do the best job it can to protect vulnerable children.