One hopes that the fact that state social workers are confirming far fewer allegations of child abuse than they did a decade ago is evidence of less abuse of the state’s youngest residents. But we know better.
More likely the decline in confirmed cases of abuse is evidence that social workers are carrying too many cases, causing them to miss dangerous situations. While the state has given a lot of lip service to employing more social workers to dramatically reduce the number of cases each worker is assigned, the fact is that the state’s current budget woes has made it impossible for the state to hire the number of social workers it needs to assure they have the time and resources to adequately investigate complaints of child abuse.
Because of a woeful lack of manpower, it often takes overworked social workers several weeks to even respond to a abuse complaint. As a result, abused children remain with their abusive parents or guardians instead of being quickly removed from a dangerous situation.
An investigation of the Courier-Journal in Louisville discovered that social workers found abuse or neglect in 12.5 percent of the complaints field this year. That number was down dramatically from 27 percent nine years ago, the newspaper reported.
About 2,800 fewer reports were substantiated last year than nine years ago, even though the number of allegations had risen by nearly two-thirds, the newspaper found.
Patricia Wilson, the state commissioner for social services, says better screening of reports accounts for some of the decline. The cabinet in 2004 started a new screening process workers use to separate calls about abuse and neglect from calls where families may merely need assistance with such things as housing, food, clothing or utilities, Wilson said.
We don’t blame social workers — most of whom are conscientious and well-trained professionals — for failing to adequately investigate child abuse complaints. Most of them are assigned more cases than any human being could be expected to handle. But with legislators anticipating another drop in state revenue, the chances of the 2010 General Assembly allocating more funds for social workers are just about nil.
A dire prediction: Someday some innocent child in Kentucky will be severely beaten or even killed because a social workers lacked the time to investigate a complaint of the child being abused. Then maybe the good people of Kentucky will become so enraged that they will demand more funds for social workers. Until then, legislators are likely to make empty promises that are never fulfilled.
