Horror stories are far too frequent, and this includes not just stories
of abusive parents, but also horrific stories of children abused in
state care. If the state cannot protect the child better than the parent
can, and cannot guarantee his safety, the child should not be removed
from the home.
Agencies continue to ask for more money and attempt to hire more
workers. Limiting the current caseload to actual cases of real abuse and
neglect would work far better. Improved training for workers who screen
hotline calls and investigate allegations would be far more worthwhile
than hiring more people to go through the motions.
All fifty states failed the latest federal child welfare review. Since
past reform efforts have yet to improve child safety, it is time to try
something else. If we keep doing what we are doing, we can expect to
keep getting what we are getting.
Re-naming and "restructuring" agencies hasn't changed the fact that
children are not safer. It is time to institute real reform efforts and
truly protect this nation's most vulnerable citizens.