foster care

The company will shut down its facility in Tampa on June 30.

The law boosts payments for family and friends who take in kids and expands tuition waivers for higher education to include more young people who spent time in the system.

It will also will increase monthly payments to relatives and nonrelatives who serve as caregivers to foster children.

Family Support Services says staff shortages have posed challenges during the transition, but the agency is optimistic about improving child welfare in the community.

It's the second time in recent months that the state chose an agency from outside the Tampa Bay area to run child welfare in the region.

Sen. Lauren Book's measure would create an Office of Child Representation to provide lawyers who will represent children in certain situations.

Gov. Ron DeSantis touched on a variety of topics, including education, water quality improvements, and proposed bonuses for law enforcement officers, during his State of the State address.

It's still unclear who will replace Eckerd to provide child welfare services in the region and whether that company will offer jobs to affected employees.

Eckerd Connects, a contractor under the Department of Children and Families, is being investigated for housing abused, neglected children in its office spaces where several have been hurt.

The state says Eckerd jeopardized kids' health and safety. The Clearwater nonprofit blames a lack of funding.

The move from keeping troubled families intact to placing the children in foster homes hasn't worked as advocates had hoped.

A series of bills about the foster care system is moving through the Florida Legislature. Rebekka Behr is focused on the Foster Youth Bill of Rights,...