Helping You Defend America’s Children Against Foster Care Abuse
Imagine the life of an abused foster child. These children first suffer the trauma of being removed from one neglectful or abusive home and being placed in what should be a safe setting, their new foster home, a relative’s home, a group home, a residential facility, or an emergency shelter. However, instead of being given a respite from mistreatment and a much needed chance to recover, they are abused or neglected anew. What could be worse for a child than to escape abuse or neglect once, only to be abused or neglected again by the very people who are supposed to help?
The Keane Law Firm wants to fight for the rights of children who are severely injured by foster care abuse, but to do this we need to hear from you. If you know a foster child who has been abused or neglected, please contact us immediately. We will work for the child on a contingency basis, so there is absolutely no fee to the child or to you for our services. We only earn a fee if we win the case. In addition, any professional referring a case to Keane Law may choose a charity to which twenty-five percent (25%) of our attorney’s fees will be donated.
More About Foster Care Abuse
According to the latest statistics from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System Report (AFCARS), there are over 513,000 children in foster care in the United States. Of the more than 300,000 children entering the foster care system each year, the State of California has the most by far – over 45,000 children enter the system each year. Victims of child abuse account for 19% of the children placed in foster homes, while children suspected of being victims of abuse who are later determined to be non-victims account for 4% foster home placements. Surprisingly, non-white or children classified as belonging to “other” races are 56% more likely to be placed in a foster home than white children.
According to AFCARS, the Child and Family Services Review has established a national standard for child abuse in foster care of 99.68%, meaning that the state standard is for only 1.34% of foster children to experience abuse at the hands of their foster parents or facility staff members. However, in 2005 only 15 states met this standard and nine states did not provide data at all, so it is difficult to appreciate the full extent of the foster care abuse problem.
Know Your Responsibilities
A child being abused in a foster care setting may see a number of people, all of whom have the opportunity to report the suspected abuse and save that child. You may be a relative of the foster child, a concerned neighbor, a teacher, a social worker, a guardian, a court-appointed lawyer or a judge – just remember that whatever your relationship to that child, he or she is depending on you to act quickly to help stop the abuse and neglect that is consuming his/her life. Not only is acting quickly in the child’s best interest, but it is also the law. Anyone who could have prevented the child’s injury or could have reported the suspected abuse before the child was affected could be held liable for damages if they fail to act.
You may be asking if there are any risks to you for reporting a suspected case of abuse. Fortunately, any report of child abuse or neglect is considered confidential, and individuals reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect are protected from civil or criminal liability if the reporting was required by law or if the individual acted in good faith. Because of this, you have nothing to lose and the child in question has everything to gain by your timely action.
It is also important for you to know that in many States, including the State of California, most health practitioners and child care professionals are required to report suspected cases of abuse or neglect in a timely manner. Failure to report is not only detrimental to the child in question, but can result in fines or jail time and being held liable in a civil lawsuit for physical injuries, disability, pain and suffering, medical bills, and future lost wages sustained by the injured child.
The Keane Law Firm and You
The Keane Law Firm has the experience and resources to handle cases of severe foster care abuse. While Attorney Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm specialize in cases from San Francisco and the State of California, they may also accept worthy cases from other states. If you know of a foster child who has been severely injured, we can work with you to file a lawsuit on the child’s behalf to secure money to pay for future medical bills and other financial needs. In addition, the institution, government agency, foster parents or others who failed to protect the foster child may be sued and held responsible for not doing their job.
No matter where the child about whom you are concerned is located, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a no-cost evaluation of your case. And remember, if you are a professional referring a case to us, 25% of our fee will be donated to the charity of your choice. So not only can you save a child, but you can help a deserving charity at the same time. Contact Attorney Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm today, and help us defend America’s foster children against the tragedy of abuse and neglect.
California foster care abuse and injury lawyers are available to help if you know a child who has been injured or abused in foster care. The Keane Law Firm has been recognized as having an AV rating - the highest legal ability and ethics rating available, and Christopher Keane has been rated as one of the leading plaintiff's lawyers and attorneys in America as a "tireless advocate for injured children". Contact him today to see if he can help your child.