I am a foster/adoptive parent currently being recertified to adopt through foster care in Los Angeles county. Because I love kids and not for the money, trust me!!!! I have two foster/adoptive children and I am still friends with their DCFS workers who have told me a lot about their caseloads (both no longer work with DCFS). I have also taught classes to prospective foster/adoptive parents to help educate them about the needs of foster adopted children. Highly traumatized kids have severe behaviors at times, they need care, patience, and therapy, but it shouldn't discourage parents from wanting to give these kids homes.
I will say I know nothing about the particulars in this case, I only know the way California DCFS works. I have great empathy for the birth mother as I'm sure she loved her sons and is in deep pain losing them. I don't think birth parents understand how serious they have to be with DCFS. I have heard horror stories on both sides.
Recently, I think it was in 2019 DCFS increased the number of children that could be in one bedroom from two to four children of the same sex. They each have to have a closet, dresser, or wardrobe. It depends on the caseworker and the need in that county, but you can have up to six children in one three-bedroom home, however, six is the maximum amount of children you can have under a certain age. I think the West's were at their limit as far as DCFS is concerned.
I don't know what happened to the boys, obviously, they didn't just walk out of their home. It's hard for me to think that if they had so much interaction with DCFS that they could get away with ongoing abuse but maybe. With everyone in the family fostering it's just really hard for me to think that ongoing abuse could happen, but maybe it did. I have no idea what happened, I just know what the current DCFS procedures are (they were modified because of the Gabriel Fernandez case) because I am currently working with DCFS.
Here is the home inspection checklist
Your California Foster Care Home Inspection Checklist – Alternative Family Services