What an Oregon class action foster care settlement means for children and youth in care

Five years ago, the national advocacy group A Better Childhood teamed up with local nonprofit Disability Rights Oregon to file a class action lawsuit against Oregon’s Department of Human Services. The state’s child welfare system had been sued individually many times over the years over horrific outcomes in individual cases. But this class action was the first of its kind, representing all current and future children and youth in foster care in Oregon. It didn't seek monetary damages — only tangible changes to the system that would result in better care for kids placed in foster care, less abuse and more stable homes. Last week, just days before the case was set to go to trial, the two sides reached a settlement. We hear from lead attorney Marcia Lowry about the details of the settlement and what advocates hope they will mean for children and youth in care.