Legislation on child protection will put a stronger defense in place for children facing possible maltreatment. The Governor took executive action earlier to address issues within the child protection system and created a 26-member Task Force comprised of state legislators, county officials, college professors, social services professionals, and children’s defense advocates.
The Governor’s Task Force on Child Protection compiled a list of recommendations, three of which are included in this bill. Those recommendations are: keeping records of maltreatment for five years instead of one; allowing screeners to seek collateral information when making screening decisions; and requiring county agencies to increase their reviews and put stronger quality assurances in place. The three components of this bill will give professionals all the information they need to make the best decisions possible as they work to protect our state’s most vulnerable children. (S.F. 4)
