Troubles in Children’s Services Dept.

With the resignation of the director of Children’s Services (“Chaffee Quits as County Chief of Child Services,” Part A, July 20) and the threat by the state to take over the care of neglected and abused children in Los Angeles County, we witness another diversionary ploy that masks the real problem--there is no sincere commitment by the state and the local government to provide quality care for children at risk.

Those of us who are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect are not innocent bystanders but have a vested interest in the changes in the department, the low morale of Children’s Services workers and the quality of services.

In the past 25 years, we have seen many changes in the approach to these children. Initially, the Probation Department had the responsibility for juvenile delinquents and for abused and neglected children. It was concluded after several years that neglected and abused children should not be treated in the same facilities as those juveniles who had committed crimes.

This led to the separation of neglected and abused children from those children who were juvenile delinquents.

Apparently, this did not work either, so neglected and abused children were removed from the Probation Department responsibilities and placed under the Department of Public Social Services. The primary responsibility of DPSS was Aid to Families with Dependent Children. The reorganization of this department to meet the needs of these abused and neglected children did not result in any appreciable changes in the treatment of these children.

It was thought that a newly created department where the focus was primarily these children would provide, finally, the care that had been sought over the years. The Department of Children’s Services, with the Children’s Commission, its oversight body, became the new combined thrust.

Unfortunately, the first director’s tenure was short because of ongoing problems with the Children’s Commission, hence little was done. The second director inherited a fledgling department with problems. It is no surprise, then, that he had to resign due to continuing problems.

The state as “Parens Patriae” (the legal concept that imposes the duty on the state to provide for children who are neglected and abused) has serious problems intervening in behalf of its children. But, there are millions of dollars from the federal government that support this “state parenting system.” Perhaps, the federal government can provide the atmosphere for the state and the local government to meet and “stop their blame-oriented behavior” and get on with the business of making a sincere effort to provide cooperation and organizational structures that help these children.

MAXINE BAKER-JACKSON

Rancho Palos Verdes