Summary: The child protective services system, which investigates reports of child maltreatment, is plagued by a host of problems, including growing caseloads, complex social problems underlying child abuse, and weaknesses in day-to-day operations. Child protective services operations have been hampered by difficulty in maintaining a skilled workforce, inconsistency in following key policies and procedures designed to protect children, the absence of useful case data and recordkeeping systems, and the lack of good working relationships with the courts. In response to this crisis, states and localities are testing new strategies for service delivery. States and localities are also forming partnerships with families, friends, churches, and community groups to help keep children safe from maltreatment. For example, in Missouri, caseworkers team with community partners to deliver services to families in which the risk of harm to a child is believed to be low, such as in child neglect. As state and local child protective services units experiment with new strategies, they will need more focused support and improved technical assistance from the federal government.
