Help for Neglected Children

This is in response to the column by Joe Domanick entitled “L.A. Turns Its Back on Its People,” (Commentary, June 20). I wish to correct two points he made about the Department of Children’s Services in his commentary.

The first point that needs clarification concerns the statement that the department “has had to pay out more than $18 million in civil suits and settlements” because of mishandled children’s cases. This is not true.

The figure used comes from a quarterly report made by the county which lists the claims outstanding against each department. All liability claims including those involving automobile accidents, accidents occurring in our offices, and civil matters are included in that report. The report only indicates the total amount of potential claims, not the amount actually paid out.

The second point of clarification is the notion that the Department of Children’s Services or the county does not care about the quality of care our children receive. We care very much. Children’s social workers are out in the community investigating cases involving child abuse each and every day. As you know, domestic violence, mental illness, murder, and drug abuse all produce families in chaos, communities in crisis and children in dangerous situations.

A total of 9,066 children were referred to this department in May. On each referral, we visited the family to assess the degree of danger to these children. Because of timely intervention by county workers, any child found in danger is provided the necessary services to insure that child’s safety and well-being.

These new-to-the-system children join the total caseload of 50,000 children the department is providing services to on any given day.

The Times needs to know, and to inform its readers, that these abused, neglected and abandoned children are served by professionally trained and dedicated children’s social workers and thousands of excellent, caring foster parents. They need the support of all the community to serve all of our children.

ROBERT L. CHAFFEE

Director

Department of Children’s Services

Los Angeles County