Los Angeles County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn are calling for a thorough assessment of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) that will place a spotlight on how well the organization is guided by evidence-based decisions and data to deliver outcomes for its clients.
Their motion, which was passed by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday on a 3 to 2 vote, includes an evaluation of DCFS’ management structure and staffing levels – information that both supervisors noted would be valuable to the department’s forthcoming new director.
“Today is precisely the right time for the Board to assess DCFS,” Barger said. “While in the process of hiring a permanent child welfare director, we should use this time to interview stakeholders, staff, and community members to see if there are opportunities for improvement or cost savings. Given DCFS’ structural deficit, this cannot wait for months of review. We should get this assessment in place so the incoming director has information on day one to hit the ground running ready to lead.”
“The Department of Children and Family Services is complicated,” Hahn said. “We have asked it to serve as a child protection system and a system for child and family well-being that focuses on prevention. This assessment will help give us an objective look at the challenges this department is grappling with and help us better understand why this department has not been able to better serve the County’s children, young people, and families.”
David Green, President of SEIU Local 721, voiced his support of the motion during the call-in portion of the Board’s meeting.
“As a 21-year veteran, I’ve seen the complexities of working to support children and families involved with the child welfare system,” Green said. “As social workers, it’s our responsibility to lead the way in innovation. This assessment will help us identify how to best work together to protect children. I’m asking on behalf of our frontline workers to involve them in the process and move forward.”
An independent consultant will be hired to perform the programmatic and management audit for DCFS, the nation’s largest child welfare agency. The analysis will also assess if programs were developed in a culturally competent and community focused manner.
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Rosie says
All 5 board of supervisors should all be in agreement that there needs to be several changes to dcfs and the lobbyists who influence those in legislative position that are able to destroy families behind no child abuse and neglect. The way the childrens court and dcfs work together with the “appointed lawyer”given if u cannot afford one seems all preplanned. Of course some parents get lucky to get thier children back of course to match their numbers for next year’s funding to keep flowing but if they could get away with it I feel that no child would return home. Money over children who and when will care enough in a power of position to return children back to thier homes who were removed behind nothing close of child abuse and neglect. The only way to really see how this system works is to be a victim of it in order for you to analyse how corrupt this system is becoming. If a child’s well being is not priority on ever humans mind then what is. Change will come
Arrow hertz says
I know the felling way to well I am going threw that right now with my Daughter’s 4 years and 6 tears old. The dcfs keeps comeing at me nick picking trying to take my Daughter’s away from me. Don’t help that my Ex is in a way helping them feels like I’m fighting a losing battle
Clara says
We’ve heard this lipservice from these two before. Four years ago they were looking to assess all leases by corrupt county employee Thomas J Shepos. And we were supposed to know that in 90 days! Again that was in 2018. Shepos’ foot prints are and have been all over the A.V. for 20 years. Who’s protecting him?
Stinger says
One law change would help dramatically: No more anonymous reports. Protect the identity of the reporting party, but do not allow actual anonymous reports anymore and investigate those who give clearly false reports.
Doing this will clear up multiple issues, ranging from rampant criminal abuse of the reporting system by those who wish merely to get back at others to the overworked staff problems – you’d be surprised how much time it takes to investigate a bogus anonymous abuse claim.
Relatively easy to do, too, in comparison to overhauling the whole department. Just one law change.
Meeko says
They should start investigating how the social workers remove children from homes with no physical evidence and violation of freedom of speech inside the court room.
Jaimey says
I know many social workers, locally. DCFS case workers are notoriously overworked and overburdened. They are given large case loads and there is a lot of stress and anxiety with the job. Many of them take their fears and worries home with them at the end of the day — wondering if they noted every possible inconsistency or difference from the time before? Many of them are empathetic and the job takes a toll on them. It has a very high “burn out” rate, along with teachers and nurses.
Tyson says
Although the cops did just as crappy as a job noticing Gabriel Fernandez’s abuse. So stop acting like they are doing such a great job on that subject either.
ACE says
LET THE COPS RETURN TO HANDLING CHILD ABUSERS…
NOT A BUNCH OF NON-QUALIFIED OTHERWISE UNEMPLOYABLE SEIU UNION LOSERS AS SOCIAL WORKER TRAINEES…
USE THE REGULAR COURTS WITH DUE PROCESS, I.E; SWORN TESTIMONY, SIGNATURES UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY AND THE JURY SYSTEM…
THE CHILDREN’S COURTS NOW ARE LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE GERMAN MOCK COURTS DURING WW II…
LAWLESS MOCK TRIBUNALS WITH APPOINTED OUT OF WORK LAWYERS AS PHONY JUDGES…
WHILE THE POOR LITTLE KIDS SUFFER AND DIE AT THEIR HANDS…
ABOLISH THE LA COUNTY DCFS…
FIRE THEM ALL…
Jaimey says
Please stop! You don’t know what you’re talking about.
EL Patterson says
I understand and the young social worker assigned to my two AA granddaughters (paternal), she was young and inexperienced, not always available by phone (callbacks were rare), no patience, bad attitude if you had questions of concerned, or anything concerning her decision, actions, she had to show me she had the power. The same thing about the Psychologist, who was young, inexperienced – she only had book knowledge, and had no idea about the family dynamics in African American family, especially where parental drug addiction – lead to lost, abandon and abuse, and then death of the young sibling. LA County and individuals in some departments it is just a job and if you are burnt out – Then take a leave – these children need people who care about what happens to them – not just trying to place them in home so you can check them off you list.
Arianna w. says
It’s Horrible they took my child away without giving me an appeal or an actual reason as to why my child left home with no signs of abuse. I was accused of neglect with no clear or factual signs Now I can only see her whenever the social workers chooses to let me, Now my child is suffering from clear signs abuse from the social workers as well as the supervisors and caregivers she’s being placed with. During a visit her private parts where red and swollen and she’s a toddler, Just for the social worker to shrug her shoulders and nod her head showing her nonchalance, KATHRYN Barger is a joke after I called her office and spoke with her she laughed in my face and told me there’s nothing she could do about my child being abused in the foster home. The child protective investigators are committing purgery by telling a judge my child is safe in the home when she’s not. I hace photographed proof of my child’s severe abuse. They are not the superheroes the are the bad guys that do not stand by the rights to protect and serve children!