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Inside Story
January 13
Paying for Their Own Foster Care
Episode 3 of Inside Story examines the conflict between legality and morality when states take money intended for foster children.
By
Lawrence Bartley
and
Donald Washington, Jr.
Analysis
December 21, 2021
Some of Our Best Work of 2021
From police use of force to life without parole to troubling prison conditions, our reporters told groundbreaking stories this year.
By
Terri Troncale
Feature
May 17, 2021
Foster Care Agencies Take Millions of Dollars Owed to Kids. Most Children Have No Idea.
The majority of states obtain money intended for foster children with disabilities or a deceased parent without telling them, The Marshall Project and NPR found.
By
Eli Hager
with
Joseph Shapiro
, NPR
News
May 17, 2021
These States Take Money Meant for Foster Children
Our reporting shows that in at least 49 states, plus Washington, D.C., foster care officials obtain federal benefits intended for children in their care.
By
Michelle Pitcher
,
Weihua Li
and
David Eads
Feature
April 22, 2021
Were You Ever in Foster Care? Here’s How to Find Out if the Government Took Your Money
State foster care agencies have been taking benefits that belong to some of the most vulnerable kids. Here’s what to ask to see if it’s happened to you — and how to ask for your money back.
By
Eli Hager
Coronavirus
April 14, 2021
These Parents Had to Bond With Their Babies Over Zoom — or Lose Them Forever
During the pandemic, video chats replaced in-person visits between parents and their children placed in foster care. The effects could linger for years.
By
Eli Hager
Coronavirus
June 15, 2020
Is Child Abuse Really Rising During The Pandemic?
Amid speculation of a spike in abuse, advocates worry that families of color will be policed even more.
By
Eli Hager
Coronavirus
March 24, 2020
Coronavirus Leaves Foster Children With Nowhere to Go
New placements, family visits and child-abuse investigations falter across the country.
By
Eli Hager
Feature
February 11, 2020
The Hidden Trauma of “Short Stays” in Foster Care
Every year, thousands of children are removed from their homes by officials who fear for their safety—only to be returned within days. It “felt like being kidnapped,” one said.
By
Eli Hager
News
September 25, 2019
He Didn’t Abuse His Daughter. The State Took Her Anyway.
An unwed father hopes his case will change the way courts decide what it means to be a parent.
By
Eli Hager