Agency reports increase in child abuse reports

Agency reports increase in child abuse reports (What they don,t talk
about is the changing of rules so more kids can be left in abusive
homes)

By DEBORAH CIRCELLI Staff Writer

Last update: October 13, 2005

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia and Flagler counties had more child abuse
reports this summer than local officials have seen in more than five
years.

The two-county area also continues to have a high abuse rate per 1,000
children compared with most other districts in the state. The district
has the state's third highest rate.

Child-welfare officials said Wednesday they are not sure what caused
the increase in calls during the summer, but speculate continued
stress from last year's hurricanes may be a factor. Some people may
also be making false reports.

Alan Abramowitz, local administrator for the state Department of
Children & Families, told members of the Community Alliance, a DCF
advisory board, on Wednesday that investigators are analyzing reports
to see what may be causing the increase.

"The population is growing and there could still be impacts from the
hurricanes last year," Abramowitz said.

The district had 2,034 reports in July, August and September this
year, compared with 1,594 during the same three-month period in
2000.

Despite the increase, DCF investigators on average are removing fewer
children from homes than in years past. For example, DCF removed 47 in
September when there were 681 reports, compared with 90 in September
2004 when there were 599 reports.

"We're trying to pour services into the home and offer everything we
can to make sure a family can stay together," Abramowitz said.

Local agencies also continued to place more children in homes, either
their own or adoptive ones. Community Based Care, the contract agency
that provides foster-care services in the two-county area, showed
improvements the first three months of this fiscal year, which began
July 1.

Thirty adoptions were finalized compared with 22 for the same three
months last year. There were also 123 children reunited with their
families for the first quarter, compared with 22 the same three months
last year.

The total number of local children in the state's care has dropped to
1,438, including 972 living out of their home. That compares with
1,670 in October 2004, including 1,142 in out-of-home care.

The length of stay for children in foster care or with relatives
continues to be higher than the state average. In September, the
median length of stay was 14 months compared with 10 for the state.
Last September, the local average stay was 16 months.

Ron Zychowski, president of Community Based Care, said improvement is
still needed. He is working with staff members on reviewing cases to
ensure they are moving through the system.

"We ain't done yet. We have a long way to go," Zychowski said. "This
is OK, but you can't take your foot off the accelerator or your eyes
off the road
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