NCJ Number
101353
Date Published
1986
Length
80 pages
Annotation
This 1985 study of New York State's child protective services system by the State Senate Child Care Committee documents problems in the investigation and service delivery for child abuse cases and proposes legislation and administrative action to relieve deficiencies.
Abstract
This year-long study involved extensive research and case reading in a number of counties representative of child protective operations in the State. The study revealed deficiencies in the timeliness and efficacy of local investigations of child abuse reports and identified major problems in the delivery of services to children and families through the protective services system. Although the State's 1973 Child Protective Services Act remains a well-constructed foundation for investigating and treating child abuse cases, legislative and administrative changes are required to improve the act's implementation. Proposed legislation includes the establishment of a single State aid formula for child welfare services and the redefinition of the mandate of local child protective services to emphasize case investigation and monitoring while excluding service delivery. Other recommendations pertain to the staffing and training of personnel for the State central register, penalties for making false child abuse reports, and new approaches to recruit staff for local child protective service agencies. Appended case reading findings.