D.C.'s child welfare system leaves kids at risk

By: Freeman Klopott 04/28/11 8:05 PM
Examiner Staff Writer

The District's child welfare system is failing the city's abused and neglected children in critical ways, a D.C. inspector general's report has found.

More than three years after four girls were found murdered by their mother in their Southeast Washington home, problems continue at the city's Child and Family Services Agency, the report found. The Banita Jacks case and its fallout led to the firing by then-Mayor Adrian Fenty of several city officials and promises of major reforms.

But the inspector general found morale remained low at CFSA, case loads for social workers are still too high, and there is too much pressure to close cases quickly, all of which erodes care for the city's vulnerable youths.

"The children are endangered if these issues go unresolved," D.C. inspector general spokesman Roger Burke told The Washington Examiner on Thursday. "Social workers will not be able to protect the children."

A Child and Family Services spokeswoman declined to comment beyond the agency's responses included in the report.

Ward 1 D.C. Councilman Jim Graham, whose committee oversees that agency, said he'll give a "serious" look at the inspector general's report, which was released Thursday.

"I am deeply concerned about any kind of repeat of the gross neglect that lead to the death of Banita Jacks' children," Graham said.

The inspector general made 23 recommendations to improve the system. Key among them was improving the city's child abuse hot line so investigators spend less time on frivolous cases. FULL STORY

See my old Editorial "85% of all child abuse reports are unfounded"