Post by Logan on Jun 5, 2016 5:29:57 GMT -6
Despite abuse reports, Dakota County left children with parents
Dakota County child protection received three reports over a year that an Apple Valley couple were beating and neglecting their adopted children, but offered services to keep the family together rather than investigating, according to juvenile court records.
Then, in August, police removed the children after allegations their parents beat one with a belt, forced them to stand in place for hours and chained kitchen cabinets shut to keep them from getting to food, court records show. The couple, Mary and Dwight Neal, lost their parental rights and were charged last month with child neglect.
Before the children were removed, social workers three times used a “family assessment” response with the Neals. Family assessment offers voluntary services to build on a family’s strengths, but does not identify whether a child was abused and who was responsible.
After the Star Tribune reported on child protection’s overuse of family assessment, the Legislature passed laws last year requiring more aggressive intervention in child abuse reports as well as consultation with county attorneys before closing cases. In the first half of 2014, family assessments were used to respond to three-quarters of abuse cases, but that’s dropped to less than two-thirds in the first quarter of 2016.
Read more: www.startribune.com/despite-abuse-reports-dakota-county-left-children-with-parents/381873081/
Dakota County child protection received three reports over a year that an Apple Valley couple were beating and neglecting their adopted children, but offered services to keep the family together rather than investigating, according to juvenile court records.
Then, in August, police removed the children after allegations their parents beat one with a belt, forced them to stand in place for hours and chained kitchen cabinets shut to keep them from getting to food, court records show. The couple, Mary and Dwight Neal, lost their parental rights and were charged last month with child neglect.
Before the children were removed, social workers three times used a “family assessment” response with the Neals. Family assessment offers voluntary services to build on a family’s strengths, but does not identify whether a child was abused and who was responsible.
After the Star Tribune reported on child protection’s overuse of family assessment, the Legislature passed laws last year requiring more aggressive intervention in child abuse reports as well as consultation with county attorneys before closing cases. In the first half of 2014, family assessments were used to respond to three-quarters of abuse cases, but that’s dropped to less than two-thirds in the first quarter of 2016.
Read more: www.startribune.com/despite-abuse-reports-dakota-county-left-children-with-parents/381873081/