Nevada Children's Lobby Launched to Track Informal Foster Care
New advocacy group seeks to document children in kinship care arrangements to improve safety oversight across the state.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Child Care
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The Nevada Children's Lobby launched on Thursday to address the lack of data surrounding children living in informal kinship care. The group is proposing legislation to mandate state documentation for these children, as current systems track only those in traditional foster care.
Why it matters
Informal foster care arrangements currently lack state supervision and support services, leaving thousands of children potentially vulnerable to exploitation. By tracking these placements, the group aims to ensure children receive necessary oversight and resources.
The Nevada Department of Child and Family Services monitors 4,400 children in traditional foster care, yet the state lacks data on children placed informally with relatives. Estimates from the Annie B. Casey Foundation suggest at least 19,000 children live in such arrangements in Nevada.
The players
Patricia Farley-Moore
Co-founder of the Nevada Children's Lobby and advocate for child welfare policy reforms.
Ali Caliendo
Co-founder of the Nevada Children's Lobby focusing on increasing state oversight for vulnerable youth.
Nevada Department of Child and Family Services
The state agency responsible for overseeing child welfare programs and traditional foster care placements.
Annie B. Casey Foundation
A national organization that tracks child welfare data and provides research on foster care trends.
The details
Currently, Child Protective Services often directs relatives to take in children without initiating the legal custody processes required for state oversight. This gap results in children living outside the child welfare system, where they miss out on formal support services and monitoring. The proposed legislation would require the state to document all children placed into care by Child Protective Services, creating a registry to prevent potential exploitation.
Timeline
The Nevada Children's Lobby launched on Thursday.
Child welfare block grants have been capped since 2012.
The organization intends to raise $100,000 in the next year.
Health Landscape
The push to increase oversight for informal kinship care marks a departure from reliance on narrow, traditional foster care definitions. This shift follows years of fiscal limitations established by child welfare block grants that have been capped since 2012.
Families currently involved in informal kinship care arrangements should consult with local social services to understand how future legislative changes might impact documentation and support eligibility. Residents concerned about the safety of children in their community should reach out to the Nevada Department of Child and Family Services for guidance on official support pathways.
The takeaway
The move to officially track informal kinship care seeks to close a critical gap in state child welfare oversight. Families in these arrangements should discuss the importance of legal documentation and state support services with a qualified family law professional or social worker.
What happens next
The Nevada Children's Lobby intends to raise $100,000 from private donors in the coming year to support its advocacy and research initiatives.
Further reading
For additional resources on navigating state systems, visit the Child Care section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Elko Daily Free Press.
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Should the state be required to document every child placed into informal foster care?
