Children at risk: failing our most vulnerable

The State has a primary duty to provide care for children where their parents are unable to do so. Young people who need to be removed from their families under emergency legislation for their own safety are the most vulnerable of all. Yet, a comprehensive audit into Garda use of these emergency powers exposes a series of serious failings which are placing some of these children at further risk.

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• Zappone requests report from Tusla on boy in foster care

Illinois Purges Social Workers And Foster Families Who Don’t ‘Facilitate’ Transgenderism

The science-deniers are running the LGBTQ show over at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and dissenters will not be tolerated.

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DCFS was weeks behind in filing reports when Semaj Crosby disappeared, records show

The morning after 17-month-old Semaj Crosby was reported missing from her Joliet Township home, state Department of Children and Family Services investigators and supervisors went to a strip mall office three miles away and began filing reports.


More >> DCFS was weeks behind in filing reports when Semaj Crosby disappeared, records show

Police: NH mom punches officer in face as DCYF attempts to take 3-year-old child

A Rochester woman allegedly punched an officer in the face as the Division for Children, Youth and Families took her 3-year-old child as part of a court order.

An officer, along with a representative from DCYF, went to a home on 34 Cross Wind Lane on Tuesday around 4:30 p.m. after a court order gave DCYF temporary custody of Cassandra Morton's child. Officers and DCYF planned to let Morton's child stay at the Cross Wind Lane home with grandparents as long as Morton agreed to leave, Capt. Jason Thomas said.

More >> Police: NH mom punches officer in face as DCYF attempts to take 3-year-old child

Head of Illinois DCFS child welfare agency resigns

The director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services resigned Wednesday in the face of an ethics probe and as the agency is in the midst of a controversy over a recent child death.

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Scotland’s child abuse inquiry told records have been lost

An inquiry into the historical abuse of children by their carers will be hampered by the destruction of records that were held by many of the charities who ran residential homes, a lawyer representing victims has said.

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Federal lawsuit says Minnesota's foster care system is failing hundreds of children

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of children in Minnesota's foster care system are at risk of violence and neglect because officials are failing to investigate reports of abuse and place the children in stable homes, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday.

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What will it take for Ottawa finally to tackle Indigenous child-welfare crisis?: Editorial

If Justin Trudeau means what he says about building a new relationship with Indigenous peoples, he should start doing less to defend his government and more to defend the First Nations children it has for too long let down.

More >> What will it take for Ottawa finally to tackle Indigenous child-welfare crisis?: Editorial

Marshall foster mom arrested on child injury charge

42-year-old foster mother, Michelle Lee Hayes, was arrested last week for injury to a child after she allegedly abused a toddler in her care, causing bruising, swelling and bleeding to the child's brain.

More >> Marshall foster mom arrested on child injury chargeMarshall foster mom arrested on child injury charge

Study shows link between foster care, multiple medications and teen pregnancy

Girls in foster care are more likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions, be prescribed multiple medications and become pregnant as teenagers, according to a report by Wyoming researchers.

More >> Study shows link between foster care, multiple medications and teen pregnancy

Mother jailed for threatening social worker with chopper over access to son

A 45-year-old woman was sentenced to six months’ jail on Tuesday (May 30) for holding a chopper to a social worker’s neck, after she cancelled a planned visit with the woman's newborn son who was in foster care.

More >> Mother jailed for threatening social worker with chopper over access to son

Case of slain boy raises interest in child welfare oversight

Records released last week that indicate Kansas officials investigated claims of child abuse for several years before a 7-year-old boy was tortured, starved, killed and fed to pigs may be strengthening some lawmakers’ desire to increase oversight of the child welfare system.

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Federal Audit Finds More Lapses in Texas Foster Care System

A federal audit released Tuesday heaped more criticism onto Texas' troubled child welfare system and warned of foster kids potentially put in jeopardy over missed deadlines during abuse and neglect investigations.

More >> Federal Audit Finds More Lapses in Texas Foster Care System

• A federal audit released has heaped more criticism onto Texas' troubled child welfare system that a federal judge ruled constitutional

Woman Admits She Called CPS On Her Ex Because Their Daughter ‘Sounded Dehydrated’

Danielle and Brandon have been in a contentious custody battle over their now 10-year-old daughter since shortly after she was born. Danielle, who currently has only visitation, wants custody back because she claims her ex is abusive and has threatened to kill her twice. She also accuses Brandon of neglecting their daughter by not providing basic necessities – all accusations Brandon denies.

More >> Woman Admits She Called CPS On Her Ex Because Their Daughter ‘Sounded Dehydrated’

Indigenous boy lost his cultural identity after being taken from family, inquiry told

A Northern Territory boy who had a traditional upbringing in a remote Indigenous community lost his cultural identity after he was taken away by welfare workers, an inquiry has heard.

More >> Indigenous boy lost his cultural identity after being taken from family, inquiry told

• Removed NT boy lost cultural identity

Hearing scheduled in suit against DA office, CPS investigator

A state district court will conduct a scheduling session this week involving a woman who has filed suit against the Hunt County District Attorney’s Office and a former state investigator, alleging she was the victim of malicious prosecution.

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Child protection failings: ‘It’s going to shock you beyond belief’

CHILDREN treated like “human trash”. Children subjected to “barbaric” treatment and “staggering” levels of trauma. Lives that have been left “shattered”.

More >> Child protection failings: ‘It’s going to shock you beyond belief’

• Child protection failings: Fears for safety of children in their homes
• Vulnerable children are being failed by the State
• Child protection failings: Reasons why children were removed
• Child-protection audit ‘a wake-up call’ for society, report author says
• Child protection report: 'We cannot fail children a second time', says Ombudsman for Children

Suspending students linked to 'school-to-prison' pipeline, officials say

There's a correlation between the number of times students are suspended or expelled and their likelihood of ending up in the corrections system, which is prompting educators and law enforcement to come together in an effort to dismantle a so-called "school-to-prison pipeline."

More >> Suspending students linked to 'school-to-prison' pipeline, officials say

Child protection report a wake up call for society and parents: Geoffrey Shannon

Society and parents must take heed of the findings in today’s audit report into Ireland’s child protection system.

More >> Child protection report a wake up call for society and parents: Geoffrey Shannon

• 'Children are treated like human trash': The systematic failings in Ireland's child protection system

Youth detention royal commission hears child in Government care did not go to school for four years

A child in the care of the Northern Territory Government did not attend school for four years and no-one in the relevant department intervened, the royal commission into child protection has heard.

More >> Youth detention royal commission hears child in Government care did not go to school for four years

DCF records: Police, doctors, social workers aware of abuse in case of boy fed to pigs

Newly released records from Kansas Department for Children and Families reveal police and medical professionals, as well as social workers, were aware or suspicious that Adrian Jones and his siblings were being abused. Jones’ remains were found in November 2015 on the family’s Kansas City, Kansas, rental property after officers responding to a report of domestic abuse learned the then-seven-year-old boy was missing. The boy’s father, Michael Jones, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 25 years. An identical sentence was ordered for Heather Jones, the boy’s stepmother, in November.

More >> DCF records: Police, doctors, social workers aware of abuse in case of boy fed to pigs

DCFS boss: ‘Systemic failures’ preceded death of Semaj Crosby

The head of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services on Saturday conceded major problems with the handling of the Semaj Crosby case, but said, based on what he saw and reviewed, neither Semaj nor her siblings should’ve been removed from the home.


More >> DCFS boss: ‘Systemic failures’ preceded death of Semaj Crosby

Emmaus foster care agency trying to recover from ties to Sara Packer

The Impact Project, the private foster care agency that employed homicide suspect Sara Packer and provided her with foster children, has been given a clean bill of health by state human services investigators.


More >> Emmaus foster care agency trying to recover from ties to Sara Packer

Marshall foster mom arrested on child injury charge

42-year-old foster mother, Michelle Lee Hayes, was arrested last week for injury to a child after she allegedly abused a toddler in her care, causing bruising, swelling and bleeding to the child's brain.

More >> Marshall foster mom arrested on child injury charge

Lincoln Middle School teacher cleared after being accused of touching student

A teacher accused of inappropriately touching a student at Lincoln Memorial Middle School has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing and returned to the classroom, according to an Office of Professional Standards report released by the School District of Manatee County.

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