Who knows what the criteria is for being a contracted case worker hired by the state? What training is required and involved? What sort of certification do you have to have? I want to know as an FYI. I'm curious. PS.. it's pretty bad when the government has to hire private agencies to help manage their case loads and accommodate the PARENTS of these kids that are being neglected and/or in danger. What is going on here?? Since when do INEPT parents dictate when and where SUPERVISED visitation takes place? I am simply livid - over it all.
Qualifications depend on the state and differs from area to area. To be in child welfare and protective services, you usually have to be a Social Worker. Social work is considered a profession much like psychology and workers are bound by certain practice and ethics and training and education is the same no matter what college you go to or what state you live in.
Some states do not require a social work degree and just require a Bachelor's in any discipline with a certain amount of credits in psychology and sociology and leave the actual training up to the agency.
The government does not have to hire outside agencies. Outside agencies and private agencies receive government funds to operate in partnership with state and local agencies. They are for profit. There has been a growing roar in Child Welfare to give back most of the control to the government agencies because private agencies often have a "goal" of certain outcomes to receive their government money. The ethical arguments of privatizing child welfare are many. There is also a problem with quality control between the two agencies. There are many articles out there if you want to google them.
Child Welfare is a 24 hour 7 days per week round the clock issue and agencies often contract out for the extra help is badly needed. Government Child welfare workers are notoriously overworked, burned out, underpaid, and just plain overwhelmed. There are so many children out there in need of protective services and not enough workers in the field to help. Especially well trained workers.
The judge makes the decisions and the child welfare agency must carry those orders out. They can advocate to remove the child/change the visitation structure and many do. But ultimately, it is the judge that has the last word. It is also EXTREMELY difficult to remove a child from the home and terminate parental rights, barring very specific abuse and neglect criteria. Believe me, child welfare workers are faced with conflicting issues constantly. There is what they want to do with the job, and what they actually can do with the job, which is why so many protective workers leave. There is an amazing amount of turnover and burnout...hence the demand for contractors. Managed Care also has a negative effect on child welfare/mental health services. Its so layered and I don't want to bore you. lol!
These children were removed from his home, but because he was not charged with Susan's murder it made it even more difficult for child welfare workers to recommend that a judge terminate his rights. It would never happen. Should it have in this case? Yes.
So many balls were dropped and information missed but I blame that on bureaucracy and not this individual worker. She seemed to do everything that she was supposed to do and she is at the mercy of the system while trying to protect those kids.
It really is a mess.
And in light of this horrific tragedy that may or may not have been avoided, I worry very much about Michelle Parker's little boys. That case is the mirror image of this one, except her X actually has custody and could do anything at any time.
Just kidding.
