Inside Virginia’s Child Welfare Reforms, with Delegate Katrina Callsen
Show Notes
Lindsey Gray sits down with Virginia Delegate Katrina Callsen to explore how child welfare policy can better support children and families. From expanding kinship care and preventing unnecessary foster care placements to improving school stability and adoptee rights, Callsen shares how data, lived experience, and bipartisan collaboration are shaping meaningful reform. The conversation highlights both the progress Virginia has made—and the critical work still ahead—to create a more stable, family-centered system for vulnerable children.
In this episode:
What is kinship care, and why does it matter in child welfare?
Kinship care places children with relatives or trusted adults instead of traditional foster care. Research shows it leads to better emotional stability, fewer disruptions, and stronger long-term outcomes for children.
How is Virginia reforming its child welfare system?
Virginia is prioritizing prevention, expanding kinship care, improving school stability for children in care, and removing unnecessary barriers for caregivers—all aimed at reducing foster care placements and strengthening families.
What problem does kinship care legislation aim to solve?
Many children enter foster care not because family support is unavailable, but because relatives lack access to resources. New policies in Virginia allow families to receive services earlier, helping prevent unnecessary foster care placement.
Why is school stability important for children in foster care?
Frequent school changes disrupt learning and social development. Studies show that even one fewer placement per year can significantly improve a child’s chances of graduating from high school.
What are “barrier crimes” in foster care placement?
Barrier crimes are offenses that can prevent someone from becoming a caregiver. Virginia is working to modernize these rules and introduce waiver processes so that qualified family members aren’t excluded for minor or outdated offenses.
What can other states learn from Virginia’s approach?
Start with data, focus on prevention, prioritize family-centered solutions, and build bipartisan support. Incremental policy changes can lead to meaningful system-wide impact over time.