Sunday, July 5, 2009

DCFS Often Fails Deadline

State auditors say the Illinois agency responsible for protecting children often fails to meet the deadline for a follow-up review of a child’s death.

The review comes after the Department of Children and Family Services’ formal investigation of possible child-abuse deaths. The goal is to see if there was any way to prevent the death and to improve handling of abuse cases.

DCFS is supposed to conduct a review within 90 days of the formal investigation being completed.

But the auditor general’s office reported that the average wait was 200 days after the child died. In one case, the follow-up review took well over a year – 496 days.

DCFS says a lack of staff contributed to the problem.

Source:
Ill. child-welfare agency slow to review deaths

See also:
Public Guardian Speaks Out

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

They don't take that long to remove a child from a home!

That whole system is very, very sick and needs a major shakeup and overhaul.

Anonymous said...

Good point, Anonymous 1 !

Anonymous said...

How many deaths occur because caseworkers aren't doing their jobs? No wonder they're not anxious to do a timely review.

Anonymous said...

I think this is part of their plea for more funding.

Anonymous said...

DCF has failed all along. The internet is full of DCF failures.

To be 100% objective, DCF does good and bad. I think more good than bad overall.

Anonymous said...

You're right, Anonymous, they're quick to remove a child so they can do it all if they want to.

Sue said...

Welcome to the corrupt state of Illinois!

We have a new Governor, Pat Quinn, what a J O K E! The Madigan's are hoping IL falls apart, thereby giving Lisa Madigan the governors seat. Politics, pay to play is out of control.

The only way to clean it up in Illinois is for all elected officials to get out of the state -all of them, immediately.

Til then, it's like Ground Hog day around here.

We wake up and it's the same day again and again and again.