Washington City Paper: CFSA Makes Improvements, but Reforms Still Needed
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Washington City Paper reached out to Children’s Law Center Executive Director Judith Sandalow for this nuanced look into DC’s child welfare system. The article paints a picture of an agency that’s made strides for DC kids, but still has work to do. Ultimately, DC kids in foster care are much better off than they were 5 years ago. Below is an excerpt from the piece.
Judith Sandalow, executive director of the Children’s Law Center, says the organization believes the decline in out-of-home placements “is a good thing.” Five years ago, CLC looked at the data, “and there was clear evidence that children were coming into foster care who shouldn’t, who were being returned—some within a week, some in three months—and where they had relatives or family available,” she says.
On the flip side, the city has to provide enough support services to ensure that a child kept in the home is safe, Sandalow says. “It took a lot of work to make good decisions about which children should be removed and which should be left at home, and that’s a big success,” she says. “But… it’s not clear what kind of supports and services [are available], and how those children are faring at home.” The issue is one the “city as a whole” needs to address, she adds.
Click the link below to read the full article.