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Foster care reforms advised
Aren't the CPS agencies already paid to do most of this?
Michael wrote: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...1230343/-1/all HAMILTON - Butler County Children Services needs to do more in-depth investigations, involve police in every case, conduct better background checks of foster parents and track domestic violence cases. Those were among more than a dozen recommendations offered in a newly released report by Detective Victoria Reden, who was hired by an independent task force to review the county agency after the August death of Marcus Fiesel in foster care. "Unfortunately, I believe that cross reporting all instances of domestic violence would have saved the life of Marcus Fiesel," Reden wrote, echoing what other officials have said. If the arrest of Marcus' foster father on domestic violence charges had been automatically reported to Children Services, the child would have been removed from the home and probably be alive today, she said. Foster parents Liz and David Carroll Jr. are jailed on murder and other charges in Marcus' death. Police said they bound the developmentally delayed 3-year-old with blankets and strapping tape and left him in a closet while they left town for two days. The boy was dead when they returned. David Carroll was charged with domestic violence on his wife in June, a month after Marcus was placed in their care. He was required to report it to the private agency that licensed him as a foster parent, but didn't. The charge would have disqualified David Carroll as a foster parent and triggered Marcus' removal from the Carroll home. Reden spent a week in Butler County last month randomly sampling case files, looking at policies and procedures, interviewing caseworkers and reviewing how they do their job. The task force, appointed by county commissioners, will consider Reden's report in making overall recommendations on how to improve child welfare. Reden suggests: A requirement that police report all domestic violence incidents to Children Services. A requirement that Children Services caseworkers report all complaints of child abuse and neglect so police can determine if a criminal investigation is warranted. Setting up a national crime computer at Children Services and assigning a sheriff's deputy to run national background checks on all foster parent applicants, as well as everyone involved in child protection and welfare. In-depth investigation into a child's family members or caretakers to evaluate risk. Reden said it appeared that caseworkers look only into information that is given to them. Expanding the home study of foster parents and verifying all information, including past employment and residency. Photographing all rooms of the home. Interviewing everyone living in the home individually, including foster children over age 4. Conducting after-hours inspections of foster homes and residences of parents under investigation to provide an extra layer of protection for children. Random visits and in-depth interviews with children in placement. Opening agency records to parents whose children have been removed. Making the ombudsman's job independent of the Children Services agency. The ombudsman reviews complaints about the agency's handling of specific cases. The ombudsman now answers to the Children Services executive director and board. Providing earlier legal representation to parents and expanding the number of attorneys who represent children after they are removed. Taping all interviews and telephone calls at the agency. Reden also suggested opening a short-term shelter for up to 20 children who were removed from their homes while police and caseworkers finish their investigations into child abuse or neglect. The shelter also would provide additional time to check out the background of a prospective foster parent, she said. Reden was paid $3,178 plus travel expenses for her study and recommendations. Dan Hare, chairman of the task force, said he'd like to explore the possibility of opening such a center in Butler County. "What intrigues me about that is it's not long-term. It's not intended to be long-term," Hare said. "Now we get on the phone at 2 in the morning and start calling foster parents." The task force initially thought its report to county commissioners would be finished by Jan. 15, but Hare said it will take longer. Jann Heffner, executive director of Children Services, is scheduled to appear before the task force next Wednesday for an interview. She could not be reached for comment on Reden's report. Heffner has implemented stricter requirements for foster parents since Marcus' death. Commissioner Mike Fox, who has been pushing for child welfare reform for years, liked what he saw in Reden's report. "The most important thing she's saying in this report is the system needs to be more information friendly. The investigative process needs to be more active and aggressive," Fox said. "Every one of those recommendations is something that every agency in the state should adopt." |
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