A Los Angeles foster care sexual abuse lawyer at Compass Law Group will conduct a thorough investigation — subpoenaing CDSS licensing records, placement histories, and prior complaint files — to identify every party whose negligence contributed to your harm.
California Foster Care Sexual Abuse Statistics
The following data reflects the scope of this crisis and reinforces that what survivors experienced was not an isolated incident, but a systemic failure demanding accountability.
Source: Compass Law Group | Sexual Abuse in California Foster Care: Your Rights Under AB 218 and the Government Claims Act
- 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience sexual abuse during childhood in the United States, according to the CDC — rates that climb significantly for children in out-of-home foster and group care placements.
- 4 times more likely — published child welfare research consistently finds that children placed in foster and group care settings face approximately four times the risk of sexual abuse compared to children in stable family homes, owing to placement instability, exposure to multiple caregivers, and reduced oversight.
- 57,000+ children were in California’s foster care system in the most recent California Department of Social Services reporting period, making California one of the nation’s largest foster care systems — and one where oversight failures carry documented, real-world consequences for real children.
- Only 1 in 10 child sexual abuse victims discloses the abuse during childhood, according to RAINN — a stark reminder of why AB 218’s complete elimination of the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse is so essential: the law was built for survivors who carry their trauma in silence for years or decades before coming forward.
- $250 million+ recovered by Compass Law Group for survivors of serious harm throughout California, demonstrating a proven record of holding powerful institutional defendants — including government agencies — fully accountable.
What Compensation Can California Foster Care Sexual Abuse Survivors Recover?
A civil lawsuit for foster care sexual abuse in California is entirely separate from any criminal proceeding. You do not need a criminal conviction — or even a criminal investigation — to pursue civil claims. Civil cases apply a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard (more likely than not), which is significantly lower than the criminal “beyond a reasonable doubt” threshold. This means survivors can obtain meaningful compensation even when criminal prosecution was never pursued, stalled, or declined.
Under California law, including California Civil Code §52.4, survivors of sexual abuse may recover:
- Past and future therapy and mental health treatment costs — PTSD, complex trauma, depression, and anxiety disorders are common consequences of foster care sexual abuse; your abusers and the institutions that enabled them should pay for your healing
- Medical expenses — including physical injuries, reproductive health consequences, and any ongoing healthcare costs arising from the abuse
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity — when the trauma from abuse has affected your ability to maintain employment, pursue education, or advance professionally over the course of your life
- Pain and suffering and emotional distress — California law recognizes substantial non-economic damages for the psychological harm, shame, lost relationships, and disrupted life trajectory caused by sexual abuse
- Punitive damages — available when an institution’s conduct was malicious, fraudulent, or oppressive, such as when a foster care agency concealed known abuse, destroyed records, or retaliated against a child who tried to report it
At Compass Law Group, our Beverly Hills sexual abuse attorneys work with trauma psychologists, medical experts, and vocational rehabilitation specialists to build the most comprehensive damages case possible for each individual client. The specific compensation available in your case depends on the severity and duration of the abuse, your documented injuries, and the degree of institutional fault — all areas our team is prepared to thoroughly investigate.
How Can a Foster Care Sexual Abuse Lawyer Help You Hold the System Accountable?
Bringing a civil claim against a county foster care agency, a state department, or a licensed group home operator is fundamentally different from suing a private individual. These institutional defendants maintain dedicated legal teams, assert governmental immunity defenses, and have extensive experience deploying delay tactics and credibility attacks against survivors. You need an advocate who is not only unintimidated by powerful defendants but who knows exactly how to dismantle their defenses.
At Compass Law Group, LLP, attorneys Joseph Shirazi (CA Bar #265403) and Simon Esfandi (CA Bar #275307) lead a team that has recovered more than $250 million for California survivors of serious harm. Our firm handles foster care sexual abuse cases on a strict No Win, No Fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Your initial consultation is completely free and confidential, and you may remain anonymous throughout your initial discussions with our team. We understand that coming forward takes extraordinary courage, and we take every step to protect your privacy and dignity at every stage of the process.
Our attorneys know how to build foster care abuse cases from the ground up: obtaining CDSS licensing records and facility inspection reports, subpoenaing placement histories and prior complaint files, working with child welfare experts to establish violations of the applicable standard of care, retaining trauma psychologists to document the full scope of your harm, and navigating every procedural requirement of the Government Claims Act. Whether you were abused in a foster home in San Francisco, a group home in Oakland, a residential facility in Sacramento, or anywhere else across California, we are prepared to fight for you.
If you are looking for a California sexual abuse attorney with the experience, resources, and commitment to take on the agencies and institutions that failed you, call Compass Law Group at (213) 320-1001. Our practice areas encompass the full range of sexual abuse and institutional negligence claims under California law, and we serve clients from Orange County and Southern California to the Bay Area and the Central Valley.
Q: Can I sue for foster care sexual abuse if it happened decades ago in California?
Yes. Under AB 218, codified at CCP §340.1, California permanently eliminated the statute of limitations for civil claims arising from childhood sexual abuse. There is no deadline — a survivor who was abused in a California foster home or group care facility as a child can file a civil lawsuit at any age, whether the abuse occurred 5 years ago or 40 years ago. The law applies regardless of when you came to understand the lasting connection between the abuse and the harm it caused you. A California foster care sexual abuse attorney at Compass Law Group can evaluate your specific facts in a free, confidential consultation.
Q: Does the Government Claims Act affect my foster care sexual abuse lawsuit in California?
Yes — and this is a critical distinction many survivors are unaware of. If a government entity, such as a county department of social services, a public foster care agency, or a state-run residential facility, is a defendant in your case, California’s Government Claims Act requires you to file a formal tort claim notice — typically within 6 months of discovering that government entity’s role in your harm. This requirement applies even though AB 218 (CCP §340.1) eliminated the general statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse. Missing the Government Claims Act deadline can permanently bar your claims against government defendants, making early legal consultation essential.
Q: Who can be held responsible for sexual abuse that occurred in a California foster home or group care facility?
Multiple parties may share liability. The individual abuser can be sued directly. The county department of child and family services that licensed and monitored the placement may face liability for negligent supervision, failure to investigate prior complaints, or inadequate background screening. Private foster care agencies contracted by counties, group home operators, and religious or nonprofit organizations that ran placements can also be held responsible under California institutional liability law. At Compass Law Group, our attorneys conduct thorough investigations to identify every party whose negligence contributed to your harm — because institutional defendants are often where meaningful financial recovery is available.
Q: What is the AB 2777 revival deadline, and does it apply to foster care survivors?
AB 2777, codified at CCP §340.16, created a limited revival window for adult survivors — those who were 18 or older at the time of the abuse — whose civil claims were previously time-barred. This includes adults who were in transitional foster care, supervised independent living programs, or similar California supervised placements at the time of the abuse. The window closes permanently on December 31, 2026. After that date, adult survivors who have not filed or submitted a written notice of a potential claim may permanently lose the right to sue under this revival provision. If this window may apply to your situation, contacting a California foster care sexual abuse attorney immediately is critical.
Q: Can I file a foster care sexual abuse lawsuit anonymously in California?
Yes. California courts routinely permit sexual abuse survivors to file civil lawsuits using a pseudonym such as “Jane Doe” or “John Doe,” protecting your identity from public court records and media coverage. Privacy is a central concern for many foster care survivors, particularly those who experienced childhood abuse and are now managing professional lives, families, or other relationships. During your initial free consultation with Compass Law Group, you may remain completely anonymous while we assess your legal options. Our attorneys will explain every available privacy protection before you make any decisions about moving forward with a claim.
Source: Compass Law Group | Sexual Abuse in California Foster Care: Your Rights Under AB 218 and the Government Claims Act
Steps to Take After Foster Care Sexual Abuse in California
When you are ready to come forward, the following steps can help protect your legal rights and give your case the strongest possible foundation.
- Consult a California foster care sexual abuse attorney as early as possible, especially when a government agency oversaw your placement. The Government Claims Act’s 6-month notice requirement can run from the date you first discover the connection between a government entity’s negligence and your harm — missing it can permanently bar claims against government defendants. A free consultation with Compass Law Group creates no obligation and costs you nothing.
- Preserve all available records you can access — placement documents, letters from foster agencies or CDSS, school records from the period of the abuse, medical or therapy records, and any written communications about your time in care. Even fragmentary records can be invaluable in establishing timelines and an agency’s prior knowledge of risk.
- Write a detailed private account of what occurred while memories are as complete as possible. Note the names of abusers, the addresses of placements, the caseworkers assigned to your case, other household members or residents, and approximate dates of incidents. This document is yours alone and becomes protected by attorney-client privilege once you retain legal counsel.
- Seek trauma-informed mental health care from a therapist or counselor with experience in sexual abuse and foster care trauma. Your wellbeing comes first — and your treatment records will simultaneously serve as evidence of the harm caused by the abuse.
- Avoid contacting the abuser or the agency directly before speaking with an attorney. Unguided statements can sometimes be used by institutional defendants to undermine a survivor’s credibility, and premature contact can alert defendants to begin managing — or destroying — evidence before your legal team can act.
- File a Government Claims Act notice if a county or state agency was involved in your placement. Your attorney will prepare this notice, but you must understand it is a separate, mandatory step before suing a government defendant — its 6-month deadline runs independently of AB 218’s eliminated statute of limitations for childhood abuse.
- Connect with survivor support resources — organizations like RAINN (1-800-656-HOPE) provide free, confidential support around the clock. You do not have to navigate this process alone, and reaching out does not commit you to any legal action.
Source: Compass Law Group | Sexual Abuse in California Foster Care: Your Rights Under AB 218 and the Government Claims Act
Get Your Free Consultation Today
If you or someone you love was sexually abused in California’s foster care system, Compass Law Group is ready to fight for the justice and compensation you deserve — with no fees unless we win, and complete confidentiality from your very first call.
