Family Forum / Parenting / Adoption / December 2006

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061123/NEWS01/611230343/-1/all

HAMILTON - Butler County Children Services needs to do more in-depth
investigations, involve police in every case, conduct better background
checks of foster parents and track domestic violence cases.

Those were among more than a dozen recommendations offered in a newly
released report by Detective Victoria Reden, who was hired by an
independent task force to review the county agency after the August death
of Marcus Fiesel in foster care.

"Unfortunately, I believe that cross reporting all instances of domestic
violence would have saved the life of Marcus Fiesel," Reden wrote, echoing
what other officials have said.

If the arrest of Marcus' foster father on domestic violence charges had been
automatically reported to Children Services, the child would have been
removed from the home and probably be alive today, she said.

Foster parents Liz and David Carroll Jr. are jailed on murder and other
charges in Marcus' death. Police said they bound the developmentally
delayed 3-year-old with blankets and strapping tape and left him in a
closet while they left town for two days. The boy was dead when they
returned.

David Carroll was charged with domestic violence on his wife in June, a
month after Marcus was placed in their care. He was required to report it
to the private agency that licensed him as a foster parent, but didn't. The
charge would have disqualified David Carroll as a foster parent and
triggered Marcus' removal from the Carroll home.

Reden spent a week in Butler County last month randomly sampling case files,
looking at policies and procedures, interviewing caseworkers and reviewing
how they do their job. The task force, appointed by county commissioners,
will consider Reden's report in making overall recommendations on how to
improve child welfare.

Reden suggests:

A requirement that police report all domestic violence incidents to Children
Services.

A requirement that Children Services caseworkers report all complaints of
child abuse and neglect so police can determine if a criminal investigation
is warranted.

Setting up a national crime computer at Children Services and assigning a
sheriff's deputy to run national background checks on all foster parent
applicants, as well as everyone involved in child protection and welfare.

In-depth investigation into a child's family members or caretakers to
evaluate risk. Reden said it appeared that caseworkers look only into
information that is given to them.

Expanding the home study of foster parents and verifying all information,
including past employment and residency. Photographing all rooms of the
home. Interviewing everyone living in the home individually, including
foster children over age 4.

Conducting after-hours inspections of foster homes and residences of parents
under investigation to provide an extra layer of protection for children.

Random visits and in-depth interviews with children in placement.

Opening agency records to parents whose children have been removed.

Making the ombudsman's job independent of the Children Services agency. The
ombudsman reviews complaints about the agency's handling of specific cases.
The ombudsman now answers to the Children Services executive director and
board.

Providing earlier legal representation to parents and expanding the number
of attorneys who represent children after they are removed.

Taping all interviews and telephone calls at the agency.

Reden also suggested opening a short-term shelter for up to 20 children who
were removed from their homes while police and caseworkers finish their
investigations into child abuse or neglect.

The shelter also would provide additional time to check out the background
of a prospective foster parent, she said.

Reden was paid $3,178 plus travel expenses for her study and
recommendations.

Dan Hare, chairman of the task force, said he'd like to explore the
possibility of opening such a center in Butler County. "What intrigues me
about that is it's not long-term. It's not intended to be long-term," Hare
said. "Now we get on the phone at 2 in the morning and start calling foster
parents."

The task force initially thought its report to county commissioners would be
finished by Jan. 15, but Hare said it will take longer.

Jann Heffner, executive director of Children Services, is scheduled to
appear before the task force next Wednesday for an interview.

She could not be reached for comment on Reden's report. Heffner has
implemented stricter requirements for foster parents since Marcus' death.

Commissioner Mike Fox, who has been pushing for child welfare reform for
years, liked what he saw in Reden's report.

"The most important thing she's saying in this report is the system needs to
be more information friendly.

The investigative process needs to be more active and aggressive," Fox said.

"Every one of those recommendations is something that every agency in the
state should adopt."
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Michael