Washington City Paper: CFSA Makes Improvements, but Reforms Still Needed

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.