Progress & Next Steps in County Child Protection (thank you SafePassageForChildren)
This week the Hennepin County Oversight Committee reviewed efforts by child protection managers to implement recommendations in the Casey Report, which was critical of the program.
Progress was reported for example in rolling out a 24/7 child protection response, and adding screening and investigation staff.
In another part of this hearing, Casey staff presented a draft child protection ‘Practice Model’. While it identified child safety as the paramount responsibility of the program, much of the language – as Commissioner Mike Opat and others pointed out – echoed the old Family Assessment philosophy, which is weighted towards the needs and preferences of parents.
The final version of this practice model should reflect more clearly the priority that recent changes in state law and recommended practices gave to child safety and well-being.
