How Chi ld Protect ion Ombudsman Off icesHelp Fami l ies Navigate the Chi ld Welfare System
During COVID‐19
S te ph an i e V i l l a f u e r t eO f f i c e o f C o l o r a do ’s C h i l d P ro t e c t i o n Ombud sman
November 12, 2020
SPONSORS
• Patrick Dowd, Washington Office of Family and Children's Ombuds
• Jill Kehaulani, Minnesota Office of Ombudsperson for Families
• Moria O'Neill, State of New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate
• Jordan Steffen, Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Office
• Stephanie Villafuerte, Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Office
PANELISTS
LOGISTICS
• This webinar is being recorded
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ROAD MAP
• Child Ombudsman Primer
• Panel Discussion
• Q&A Session
WHAT’S IN A NAME? OMBUDSMAN
• Swedish Word That Means “Agent” Or “Representative” of The People
• Gender Neutral
• Designed to help citizens navigate government
• Hold governmental systems accountable
CHILD OMBUDSMAN OFFICES GO BY MANY NAMES
OMBUDSMAN OFFICES• Office Locations All Over The World
• Multiple Models
• Located In Both Private And Governmental Agencies
• Multiple Issue Areas
• Associations
EVOLUTION OF CHILD OMBUDSMAN OFFICESFEDERAL LEGISLATION PROTECTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
• 1935 ‐ Enactment Of The Social Security Act (Child Welfare Funds)
• 1974 ‐ Child Abuse And Prevention Treatment Act
• 1974 ‐ Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Act
• 1978 ‐ Indian Child Welfare Act
• 1980 ‐ Adoption Assistance And Child Welfare Act
• 1997 ‐ Adoption And Safe Families Act
• 2008 ‐ Fostering Connections To Success And Increasing Adoptions Act
• 2018 ‐ Families First Prevention Services Act
IMPACT OF LEGISLATIONCREATED
• New Constituency Group
• The Need To Ensure Children’s Voices Are Being Represented
• The Need To Ensure Accountability For Child Serving Systems
CHILDREN’S VOICES + ACCOUNTABILITY =OMBUDSMAN OFFICES
EVOLUTION OF OFFICES IN U.S.BEGINNING EFFORTS
• 1967 ‐ ABA Ombudsman Committee Recommends Federal/Regional Offices
• 1969 ‐ Hawaii Creates First General Jurisdiction Ombudsman
• 1979 ‐ Rhode Island Office Of The Child Advocate
• 1992 ‐ Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Act
• 1993 – Offered Public Support for Establishing Ombudsman Programs For Children And Youth (ABA Center For Children And The Law)
• 1994 ‐ Federal Children Ombudsman Act
FEDERAL EFFORTS END AND STATE EFFORTS STRENGTHEN
NEARLY 40 CHILD OMBUDSMAN OFFICES NATIONWIDE
A CHILD’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM• Reports Of Abuse Or Neglect Are Made To A
Child Welfare Agency
• Investigation Initiated‐Founded Complaints
• In‐home Or Out‐of‐home Services Are Determined
• Safe reunification is the goal or alternate permanency plan
PHASE ONE: CHILD WELFAREASSESSMENT
PHASE TWO: PROTECTIVE CUSTODY
WHY A CHILD OMBUDSMAN?OVERBURDENED CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS
• Poor Childhood Outcomes
• Large Scale Bureaucracies
• Lack Of Child Voice
• Continued Harm To Children
• Need For Accountability
• Necessity For Outside, Independent Assessments
• Recommendations For Change
PROFILES OF NATIONAL CHILD OMBUDSMAN OFFICESVARY BY
• General Jurisdiction Vs Single Sector Jurisdiction
• Size/Budgets
• Day‐to‐day Operations
• Degree Of Autonomy From Government
BOUND BY ONE COMMON GOAL
• Improving Conditions For Children In State Care
BEST PRACTICES & STANDARDSOFFICES SHOULD BE
• Independent
• Impartial
• Confidential
• CredibleUSOA Governmental Ombudsman Standards (2003)
THE ROLE OF OMBUDSMAN• Receive Complaints (Free/Confidential)
• Investigate Incidents
• Review At Case And System‐Wide Levels
• Review Compliance with state law/regulations
• Advise On System Improvements
• Perform Outreach And Education
• Ensure Children’s Best Interests Are Protected
BENEFITS OF OMBUDSMAN PROGRAMS• Amplified Voices
• Better Coordination
• Risk Management
• Resource Efficiency
• Improved Outcomes
COVID‐19 AND THE SYSTEMPANDEMIC CREATED• Increase In Family Stress• A Decrease In Child Abuse Calls• Increased System Demands on Child Welfare
Systems• Reduced Services
RESPONSE TO COVID‐19• Help Navigate System Failures
• Ensure The Safety And Protection Of Children
• Provide Valuable Feedback To Child Serving Agencies
• Patrick Dowd, Washington Office of Family and Children's Ombuds
• Jill Kehaulani, Minnesota Office of Ombudsperson for Families
• Moria O'Neill, State of New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate
• Jordan Steffen, Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Office
• Stephanie Villafuerte, Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Office
WELCOME PANELISTS