Dave Ress stories on Virginia's child welfare system

When social workers think about taking children from their homes, they often make decisions in arbitrary ways with little planning or thought, a blistering report from a state watchdog says.

A raffle of playhouses will help support Henrico Court-Appointed Special Advocates, who speak up for abused and neglected children in juvenile court.

Being a foster care kid is tough – but Richmond grandmother Faith Spencer decided, it shouldn’t have been quite so tough for her grandson Adame.

Here are some suggestions from Children’s Ombudsman Eric Reynolds.

An annual state report out this week says 49 deaths of children involved cases where families already were in touch with Child Protective Services or foster care social workers.

When social workers step in to protect a child, finding a path to safety and to the ever-present hope of healing a troubled family isn't always the same.

Virginia Kids Belong, a nonprofit that tries to find families to love and care for children in foster care, thought you'd like to meet some of the young people they work with.

Once in foster care, Virginia does worse than the nation when it comes to finding stable places for youth before they turn 18.