FINAL REPORT
CASE #0600 CHILDREN’S PROTECTIVE SERVICES
REASON FOR INVESTIGATION
The 2000-01 Civil Grand Jury received complaints
from relatives regarding placement of a minor
child through Children’s Protective Services
(CPS).
BACKGROUND
The 2000-01 Civil Grand Jury received complaints
from relatives regarding placement of a minor
child through Children’s Protective Services
(CPS). The complaints included questions
regarding the competency, integrity and honesty
of the social workers involved. CPS removed
the child from the home of relatives and
placed her in a foster home. Relatives alleged
that family members were not considered to
care for nor given an opportunity to adopt
the child.
METHOD OF INVESTIGATION
- The Grand Jury met with the complainants.
They alleged that CPS had not handled their
particular case in an appropriate, fair or
just manner.
- The Grand Jury met with the Director of Human
Services and was given an overview of the
department.
- The Grand Jury met on two separate occasions
with the Director of Children’s Protective
Services and the Division Chief for the case
in question. On both occasions case files
were reviewed in depth.
- The Grand Jury reviewed the Procedure Handbook
of CPS.
FINDINGS
- CPS currently staffs 100 caseworkers who
receive approximately 13,000 cases per year.
Each case has four stages, which are handled
by four different case workers. They are
intake, court, placement, and facility staff.
- CPS procedures in respect to the placement
of this child were followed.
- The court appointed a psychologist to do
an in-depth bonding study. The results of
the study found that the child in question
did not bond well with most relatives.
- The biological mother’s parental rights were
relinquished in court, which also terminated
the rights of all relatives.
- The child is now in the process of being
adopted by the foster parents.
CONCLUSIONS
- The procedures of CPS were followed.
- The birth mother relinquished all rights
to the child in question.
- The court ordered the child’s placement in
a foster home.
- The foster parents are in the process of
adopting the child.
RECOMMENDATIONS
None
RESPONSE REQUIRED
None