Office of Client Advocacy
The Office of Client Advocacy (OCA) Foster Care Ombudsman and Youth Grievance Programs ensure that foster parents and children served by Child Welfare Services (CWS) have easy access to a grievance process that is fair, effective, and efficient.
Foster parents and children served by CWS have the statutory right to file grievances without fear of retaliation or discrimination. If any person attempts to block a grievance, contact OCA at 405-522-2720. Individuals who file grievance through either program have a right to receive a written response to their grievance and to elevate their concerns if not satisfied with a proposed grievance resolution.
Who can file a grievance?
If you are a foster parent, you may file a grievance on behalf of yourself. This includes kinship placements, regardless of whether their certification is complete. Anyone can file on behalf of a child served by CWS.
What complaints are considered?
Most issues regarding foster care services, the foster parent bill of rights or youth bill of rights will be grieveable. If a complaint contains something that is not grieveable, OCA staff will assist in accessing the appropriate resources.
How do I file a grievance?
Foster Parent Grievances are filed online at Oklahoma Foster Parent Voices. Grievances on behalf of children served by CWS are filed online at Oklahoma Foster Youth Matters. If you need assistance with either website or want to file by phone, you can contact OCA at 405-522-2720.
When does a grievance have to be filed?
A grievance must be filed within 45 calendar days of the incident. If more than 45 days has passed since the incident, contact OCA to discuss possible exceptions.
Once a grievance is filed, what happens?
After a grievance is received, the FCO or Youth Grievance Program will contact you to answer questions and to provide additional information about the process.
Policies related to OCA grievance processes can be found at Oklahoma Administrative Code 310:678-5-1, 310:678-5-3, and 310:678-5-4. In addition to handling grievances, OCA investigates retaliation complaints for foster parents and children served by CWS. The FCO program also provides training sessions to foster parents on a variety of topics and assists foster parents by providing information and connections with a variety of helpful resources.
