Fixing the County’s Foster Care System for Neglected Children

Jonathan Freedman’s two-part series on the conditions of children’s services in California included many of the current issues prevalent in child welfare nationally (California Commentary and Op-Ed Page, April 9-10). As the articles indicated, the conditions involved in protecting children from abuse and neglect are complex and actions are needed on various levels.

Many of our communities are overwhelmed with drug abuse, violence, crime and poverty. Into these conditions our Children’s Social Workers (CSW) from the Department of Children’s Services enter to bring order and stability to families for the protection of children. Given our tremendous workload and the conditions that surround child abuse and neglect, thousands of tragedies would occur if it were not for the prompt actions of CSWs.

The conditions of the current Dependency Court, accurately described in the articles, have been a major concern of the Board of Supervisors. The point Freedman did not make was that the board has already approved the development of the design to construct a new “child-friendly” Children’s Court. The new Children’s Court should be ready by 1992.

Freedman included a list of suggested reforms for the child welfare system. Most of these reforms would require significant increases in funding at the federal and state levels for services to children. The funding for major reforms will be possible if national and state leaders can agree that significant new approaches are needed for families in America. A number of the other suggestions made by Freedman have been implemented or are being pushed for implementation right now.

In my opinion, the single most important element in any reform program would be to establish prevention programs that would prevent child abuse and neglect. Before that can work, our society must be willing to mount the same major effort by declaring “war” on child abuse and neglect as has been done in the drug program.

Child Abuse Prevention Programs are needed. We must face the grim reality that our present system is primarily designed, by law, to act only after abuse or neglect has occurred.

The time has come to face the critical need for prevention programs. These must include classes that teach parenting skills to parents and youth, drug and alcohol abuse prevention and treatment, prenatal care services, infant and child health programs, and Head Start programs.

The growing problem of child abuse requires a major commitment from all of us to build programs that prevent child abuse before it occurs.

ROBERT L. CHAFFEE, Director

Department of Children’s Services

Los Angeles County