Georgia DFCS investigating four child deaths ajc.com
Georgia DFCS investigating four child deaths
By Craig Schneider
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution8:57 p.m. Friday, February 11, 2011
The state's child welfare agency is investigating the deaths of four children within three weeks who had prior contact with the agency, officials said Friday.The children died in separate instances, and the police are investigating several of the deaths. None of the children were in the care or custody of the state Division of Family and Children Services at the time of their deaths, spokesman Lisa Marie Shekell said.DFCS officials are investigating the degree of contact that the children had with the agency, which handles cases of child abuse and neglect."We are staffing these cases to collect details to determine the extent of the DFCS interaction with the families and the children," Shekell said.The children's deaths represent the first major challenge for a new administration over DFCS and its parent agency, the state Department of Human Services. DFCS is under a court settlement to improve foster care treatment for children in Fulton and DeKalb counties following problems that included numerous deaths of children under the watch of the agency."Any child's injury or death is a tragedy, and certainly when you have a series of these tragedies, the agency is going to move quickly to determine that current policies are what they need to be," Shekell said.Brian Robinson, a spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal, said the governor's office is aware of the cases and that "the death of any child is a critical matter and warrants an investigation."
COMMENTARY:
If Georgia's DFCS (Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) under the Department of Human Services (DHS) is investigating themselves, lots of luck.
Given the history of the DHS and DFC's unethical and secretive behavior, it would be more believable if Governor Deal appointed an objective, outside agency such as the Georgia Advocacy Office to investigate; that is, if Governor Deal is truly concerned, desiring justice and transparency - something clearly lacking under his administration, or is it "agenda." If the Governor so chooses he can effect reforms and change.
The DHS and its sister agencies need a total cleansing - and not from the bottom up!
And that's my take.
"For the Children Left Behind"
Georgia DFCS investigating four child deaths
By Craig Schneider
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution8:57 p.m. Friday, February 11, 2011
The state's child welfare agency is investigating the deaths of four children within three weeks who had prior contact with the agency, officials said Friday.The children died in separate instances, and the police are investigating several of the deaths. None of the children were in the care or custody of the state Division of Family and Children Services at the time of their deaths, spokesman Lisa Marie Shekell said.DFCS officials are investigating the degree of contact that the children had with the agency, which handles cases of child abuse and neglect."We are staffing these cases to collect details to determine the extent of the DFCS interaction with the families and the children," Shekell said.The children's deaths represent the first major challenge for a new administration over DFCS and its parent agency, the state Department of Human Services. DFCS is under a court settlement to improve foster care treatment for children in Fulton and DeKalb counties following problems that included numerous deaths of children under the watch of the agency."Any child's injury or death is a tragedy, and certainly when you have a series of these tragedies, the agency is going to move quickly to determine that current policies are what they need to be," Shekell said.Brian Robinson, a spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal, said the governor's office is aware of the cases and that "the death of any child is a critical matter and warrants an investigation."
COMMENTARY:
If Georgia's DFCS (Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) under the Department of Human Services (DHS) is investigating themselves, lots of luck.
Given the history of the DHS and DFC's unethical and secretive behavior, it would be more believable if Governor Deal appointed an objective, outside agency such as the Georgia Advocacy Office to investigate; that is, if Governor Deal is truly concerned, desiring justice and transparency - something clearly lacking under his administration, or is it "agenda." If the Governor so chooses he can effect reforms and change.
The DHS and its sister agencies need a total cleansing - and not from the bottom up!
And that's my take.
"For the Children Left Behind"
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