June 10th, 2025

LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, co-authored by Holly J. Mitchell, to create a specialized, countywide program to support young children in foster care and their families. The program, known as the Young Children in Care (YCIC) Birth to Five Program, aims to deliver trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate services to the County’s youngest and most vulnerable children.

“Every young person deserves to grow up safe, supported, and loved. No child should fall through the cracks—especially not those at their earliest stages of development,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “This effort is about intentionally prioritizing the specialized services that infants to five-year-olds and their families need for the strongest possible start. We must build a child welfare system that invests in healing, stability, and lasting opportunity for every young person and every family across LA County.”

The motion directs the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to develop a fully operational YCIC Birth to Five Program. Key deliverables include a detailed staffing and budget plan, outcome metrics, a program structure blueprint, and strategies for effective collaboration with local community partners and individuals with lived experience.

“This is a critical step in advancing the well-being of our County’s youngest and most vulnerable population by ensuring robust collaboration among agencies, community organizations, and individuals with lived experience to build a system of care and prevention that is responsive and inclusive for the youngest children we serve and their families” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

The initiative is a direct response to troubling data showing that children under five make up a disproportionately high percentage of foster care detentions and are at greater risk of negative outcomes, including fatalities. African American children under five are especially impacted, facing significantly higher rates of foster care detention than other groups.

Through the YCIC Birth to Five Program, DCFS has already developed a first-in-the-nation policy, launched staff training cohorts, and laid the groundwork for a specialized consultation framework. The next step is expanding these promising efforts into a comprehensive program available countywide.

Brandon T. Nichols, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, thanked Supervisors Horvath and Mitchell for bringing this motion forth.
 
“The time between birth and age five is an important developmental stage for children and calls for close observation and thoughtful care,” Nichols said. “Little ones cannot fully communicate their experiences, feelings, needs or wants, which is why we are thrilled to now have professionals across agencies who will focus exclusively on this vulnerable age group.”

The motion also calls for a collaborative analysis of service gaps and strengths in partnership with First 5 LA, the Department of Public Health, the Office of Child Protection, the Office of Education, and other community partners. These findings will inform the creation of a community-wide needs assessment and strategic recommendations.

A written progress report on the development and recommendations will be submitted to the Board in 120 days.

Read the full motion here.

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