High child welfare caseloads limit workers time and ultimately their ability to quickly identify and respond to safety issues. This increases the likelihood that children will be at risk and that families will need services for a longer period of time. An independent review found that high DHS caseloads prohibit regular and meaningful contact with clients, families, and others to assure the goals of safety, permanence and well being are met. The study also specifically identified the inability of staff to engage families in assessing their needs and developing plans for needed services and supports due to the high caseloads. An independent review of the child welfare system clearly identified the current supervisory ratio as the weak underbelly of the child protection system.
Supervisors are a critical part of making good decisions in complex and challenging situations.
The study found the amount and availability of supervision was a significant concern for almost everyone interviewed. The study reported that no matter how talented and concerned current supervisors are, they cannot keep up with the volume of work. Line staff have also expressed the critical need for readily accessible supervision, which today is limited by existing workloads and the geographic size of areas covered by a supervisor. This is particularly true in more rural parts of the state. The FY02 proposal is the first year of a three-year plan to improve safety, permanence and well being of children.