Boston Herald front page - Dec. 3, 2013
Children supposedly out of
harm’s way in foster homes were abused and neglected at a higher rate
than their counterparts in schools or day care facilities under the
state’s watch, according to an alarming new report one outraged lawmaker
called “unacceptable.”
State officials found evidence supporting 249 allegations of physical and sexual abuse and poor care involving youngsters in state-watched settings last year, according to the Office of the Child Advocate’s 2013 report, a copy of which was obtained by the Herald.
Among those shocking cases, 30 percent were in foster homes — more than 70 instances.
The report adds 29 percent of the cases were in treatment programs; 19 percent in day cares; 18 percent from schools; and 4 percent from “others.”
The stunning report comes just months after the state trumpeted its victory in a lawsuit over its foster care system.
“You’re talking about a child-and-a-half a week who is in state custody and nonetheless is maltreated. That has to be a red flag,” said Sara Bartosz, an attorney for the advocacy group Children’s Rights, which unsuccessfully sued the Department of Children and Families for failing to protect kids in its care. Bartosz said the group is appealing a judge’s October ruling dismissing their suit.
“Unlike homes where unfortunately some individuals become parents and they’re not prepared to do so well, when you’re dealing with foster care, these are hand-selected providers to be trained and overseen by the state,” she said. “The appropriate standard is zero tolerance. This should be a safe harbor.”
DCF officials said the total number of abuse and neglect reports — often referred to as 51A reports — in the out-of-home settings has remained steady in recent years.
But Bartosz, citing data provided to the group during its lawsuit, said the number of those generated from foster homes has ticked back up — all while fewer kids enter the system — from 64 in federal fiscal year 2011, which ended that October. The state, she said, recorded 84 in 2010.
The state, meanwhile, has touted reducing its foster care population by 2,000 kids over the past five years, bringing it down to 7,300 youngsters last year.
“DCF has worked hard to build a strong system for protecting children and families across the commonwealth,” DCF spokeswoman Cayenne Isaksen said in a statement.
State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell (R-Taunton), who sits on the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, said she demanded more be done at the top of the state’s health agencies.
“It’s been a pattern with this administration with failed oversight — we saw it in the drug lab scandal and the New England Compounding scandal,” O’Connell said. “We’ve had a lack of oversight in these various agencies, and it’s a very alarming pattern and deaths have resulted. ... These numbers are unacceptable when it comes to protecting our children.”
State officials found evidence supporting 249 allegations of physical and sexual abuse and poor care involving youngsters in state-watched settings last year, according to the Office of the Child Advocate’s 2013 report, a copy of which was obtained by the Herald.
Among those shocking cases, 30 percent were in foster homes — more than 70 instances.
The report adds 29 percent of the cases were in treatment programs; 19 percent in day cares; 18 percent from schools; and 4 percent from “others.”
The stunning report comes just months after the state trumpeted its victory in a lawsuit over its foster care system.
“You’re talking about a child-and-a-half a week who is in state custody and nonetheless is maltreated. That has to be a red flag,” said Sara Bartosz, an attorney for the advocacy group Children’s Rights, which unsuccessfully sued the Department of Children and Families for failing to protect kids in its care. Bartosz said the group is appealing a judge’s October ruling dismissing their suit.
“Unlike homes where unfortunately some individuals become parents and they’re not prepared to do so well, when you’re dealing with foster care, these are hand-selected providers to be trained and overseen by the state,” she said. “The appropriate standard is zero tolerance. This should be a safe harbor.”
DCF officials said the total number of abuse and neglect reports — often referred to as 51A reports — in the out-of-home settings has remained steady in recent years.
But Bartosz, citing data provided to the group during its lawsuit, said the number of those generated from foster homes has ticked back up — all while fewer kids enter the system — from 64 in federal fiscal year 2011, which ended that October. The state, she said, recorded 84 in 2010.
The state, meanwhile, has touted reducing its foster care population by 2,000 kids over the past five years, bringing it down to 7,300 youngsters last year.
“DCF has worked hard to build a strong system for protecting children and families across the commonwealth,” DCF spokeswoman Cayenne Isaksen said in a statement.
State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell (R-Taunton), who sits on the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, said she demanded more be done at the top of the state’s health agencies.
“It’s been a pattern with this administration with failed oversight — we saw it in the drug lab scandal and the New England Compounding scandal,” O’Connell said. “We’ve had a lack of oversight in these various agencies, and it’s a very alarming pattern and deaths have resulted. ... These numbers are unacceptable when it comes to protecting our children.”
