This office does not take reports of abuse or neglect. To report abuse or neglect, call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400.
If you are age 18 or older and have a question or complaints about specific cases relating to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, please contact the DFPS Office of Consumer Affairs at 800-720-7777.
If you are in foster care and age 17 or under, the Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care can help. The office will:
- Investigate any complaint you may have.
- Help find a way to solve a problem.
- Help you understand your rights.
- Answer questions.
- Provide resources to help you be successful when you leave foster care.
How to get help if you are a child or youth in foster care
There are four ways children and youth in foster care can contact us:
- Phone: 844-286-0769, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday
If you have a hearing or speech disability, call the toll-free Relay Texas service at 7-1-1 or 800-735-2989. - Online: Submit your question or complaint online.
- Mail: Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Foster Care Ombudsman
P.O. Box 13247
Austin, TX 78711-3247 - Fax: 888-780-8099
Download our brochure about foster care placement (PDF).
Texas Youth Connection
If you are or were in Texas foster care, the Texas Youth Connection can help you find the resources to transition into successful adulthood.
Help spread the word
If you want to read more about your rights, the information below can help.
- Foster care facility poster (PDF). This poster is required to be posted in all facilities in which foster youth live.
- Have a question or problem with your foster care placement (PDF)? Share this brochure with foster youth.
Annual Reports
- 2023 Report of the HHS Ombudsman (includes report from the Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care) (PDF)
- 2022 Report on the Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care (PDF)
- 2021 Report on the Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care (PDF)
- 2020 Report on the Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care (PDF)