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Mississippi’s Efforts to Protect Children Missing From Foster Care

Announced on  | Last Modified on  | Project Number: OEI-07-26-00260
Status
Active
Agency
Administration for Children and Families

OBJECTIVE

When children go missing from foster care, they may experience serious negative consequences, including a heightened risk of human trafficking, as well as poorer outcomes related to health, safety, education, employment, and subsequent criminal justice system involvement. This study will review the foster care case files of children who went missing from Mississippi foster care. We will examine efforts the State made to identify or reduce the risk of these children going missing. We will look for any common characteristics among the children and for evidence that the State actively attempted to find the children after they went missing. Further, we will review services the State provided to these children after they returned to foster care. We will evaluate whether the Mississippi foster care system functioned as it should have to protect these children who went missing from foster care.

TIMELINE

  • May 15, 2026
    Announced
  • Today
    Office of Evaluation and Inspections In-Progress
  • Est FY2028
    Estimated Fiscal Year for Project Completion
Work Plan Type
Office of Evaluation and Inspections
HHS Agencies
Administration for Children and Families
Issue Areas
Quality of Care
Target Groups
Children and Families
Financial Groups
Grants