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Report Examines the State of Child Welfare

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Fewer Pennsylvania children are entering the foster care system, and the total number of foster youth in PA is on the decline, according to the 2012 State of Child Welfare report.  “This a very important statistic,” says Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President & CEO Joan Benso.  “Children who live in foster care don’t experience the same life outcomes as children who live consistently in families.  They tend to have poorer education outcomes; they’re more likely to be teen parents or involved in crime.” 

However she sees more work that needs to be done when it comes to permanent placements and stability for the 22,000 children who are in the state’s foster care system.  For instance, 35% of children who were in foster care for 12 – 23 months had been in three or more placement settings.    

Also, the report finds that 21% of PA’s foster youth live in institutional care.  “We’re encouraged that action will be taken on that in the next year, but that number needs to continue to go down.  We have a very high rate for children living in congregate care, and much higher than other states.”

This report comes in advance of a legislative session in which the General Assembly is expected to take up the recommendations of the Task Force on Child Protection, and it cautions that protecting children should not be simplified to a numbers game that leads to a false sense of accomplishment.

Child Abuse Panel Hears Recommendations from Two Prosecutors

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Two assistant district attorneys who prosecute child abuse cases brought their ideas to a panel that’s reviewing Pennsylvania’s child protection laws and procedures for reporting child abuse.   The Task Force on Child Protection is holding a series of hearings and must issue a final report by the end of November.

Sean McCormack thinks the state’s mandated reporting law needs more teeth. The chief of the Dauphin County Child Abuse Prosecutions unit says the penalty should be as serious as the offense against the child.   For example, if someone fails to report the  rape of a child, he believes that violating the mandated reporting act should be a felony of the first degree. He says the current penalty is a slap on the wrist, a misdemeanor of the third degree.

 McCormack says the child protective services law and the crimes code use different language, leading to communication barriers between prosecutors,  and children and youth workers.  He adds that caseworkers are not required to report certain situations to law enforcement, such as child endangerment and simple assault. He says we need to take down these barriers.

McCormack recommends good quality training for mandated reporters, starting even at the college level when they are still students.  He also suggested a child advocacy license plate to help raise money for training or supporting Children’s Advocacy Centers.  He says Pennsylvania has sports teams, colleges and all sorts of groups that are getting money from license plates.

Edward McCann, First Assistant District Attorney for Philadelphia County, told the panel there should be a process to ensure that children who are home schooled receive the same oversight as children attending public, private and parochial schools, especially if their family has a history with child protective services.

Task Force on Child Protection Prepares to Start Work

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Ten members have been appointed to a task force that will review Pennsylvania’s child protection laws and procedures for reporting abuse.   David Heckler, the Bucks County District Attorney, will chair the Task Force on Child Protection.

The panel has been charged with reviewing the laws, practices, processes and procedures relating to Pennsylvania’s response to child abuse. Heckler says the resolution creating the task force calls for at least five meetings between now and September 30th, so he’s anxious to get staff in place and gather the members of the task force to start setting the agenda.  

Heckler says he’s impressed with the scope and depth of knowledge the task force members bring to this work.  He’s also looking forward to hearing from experts around the country.  He adds there will be hearings to get the public’s input as well.  The final report is due by November 30th.

Heckler, a former judge, says it’s important that the state create child protection laws that are realistic. He says such laws must place responsibilities and criminal burdens that the public and juries can support.

Heckler says they need to tap the very substantial expertise on the panel, throughout the Commonwealth and beyond, and then start reaching conclusions.

The members of the task force were appointed by the governor and legislation as outlined in House Resolution 522 and Senate Resolution 250.

 The four members appointed by the governor are:

  • David  Heckler, Bucks County District Attorney;
  • William Strickland, president and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation
  • Dr. Cindy W. Christian, M.D., director of Safe Place: The Center for Child Protection and Health, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Delilah Rumburg, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center

 

Members appointed by the Senate are:

  • Dr. Rachel Berger, member of Child Protection Team at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
  • Garrison Ipock Jr., executive director, The Glen Mills Schools, Glen Mills
  • Carol Hobbs-Picciotto, MHS, Intake Social Worker, City of Philadelphia

 

 Members appointed by the House are:

  • Jason Kutalakis, senior partner, Abom & Kutalakis LLP, Carlisle
  • Jackie Bernard, Chief Deputy District Attorney, Blair County
  • Hon. Arthur Grim, Senior Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Berks County