The most common reasons children enter foster care in Malheur County are treatment issues of the child, child's behavior, and neglect. Most children enter foster care in Oregon after being maltreated by their parents. In Malheur County, most children enter foster care for their own treatment needs or their own behavior. In Malheur County, nearly half the children entering care are identified as level 3 and one-quarter are identified as level 7. The profile of children entering care in Malheur County differs from the state profile both for level of vulnerability and reason or removal.
Children entering foster care often exhibit problems.
Child sexual offenders usually require extensive treatment, require continual supervision, and require experienced and trained foster parents. One in every five children in Malheur County receive sexual offender treatment. Parents who abuse or neglect children are often burdened by problems or conditions known as family factors. There are family problems or conditions which require some resolution before a child is returned home from foster care. Parents who cannot or will not accept their parental role include situations when parents refuse to have their children live in their households and situations where psychological examinations reveal the parent does not have the ability or understanding to parent.