Foster care picture looks up

The number of kids being removed from their homes in District 13 drops by a third in '06, a report says.

By CHANDRA BROADWATER
Published June 26, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - The foster care system in Hernando County has improved slightly, with fewer children being needlessly removed from their homes, according to a report released last week by a national child advocacy group.

A year ago, the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform blasted District 13 of the Florida Department of Children and Families, which includes Hernando, for having the highest proportion of children in the state who were removed from their homes and placed in foster care in 2005.

During 2006, the number of kids taken away fell by one-third, the group said.

Last year, 1, 549 children were removed, while 2, 241 were pulled out of their homes in 2005.

The Virginia-based nonprofit organization maintains that putting a child in foster care does not ensure a safer environment. The coalition says districts that take away fewer children tend to do better at maintaining child safety.

Despite the improvements, the advocacy group still calls much of Florida "mired in a state of perennial foster care panic, with the state's Department of Children and Families and an assortment of privatized lead agencies needlessly tearing apart families, and making children less safe."

While more needs to be done - Hernando and other counties in District 13 still have the third-highest removal rate in the state - the improvements were applauded by the coalition.

"Instead of responding to NCCPR's report with stonewalling and false claims about how they were keeping children safe, District 13 faced its problems with candor and resolve, " said Richard Wexler, the coalition's executive director.

Kids Central Inc., the agency charged with overseeing foster care in District 13, was more than pleased with the news, said spokeswoman Lynn Routh. Two years ago, the agency was served with orders from the state to fix a variety of problems or risk losing its contract with DCF.

"Our family centered approach to child welfare is based on the fact that the very act of removing children from their parents causes harm to them, " Routh said. "However, sometimes removal is necessary. We believe children should always be in the least restrictive placement possible."

At all times, the goal is to keep kids with their parents, she said. If that's not possible, caseworkers look for homes with relatives, and then close friends.

"The last option would be to place the child in a foster home, " Routh said.

Tim Bottcher, DCF District 13 spokesman, said the study shows that "we're making better decisions" on whether to remove children.

"Removing children from homes is not something we take lightly, " Bottcher said. "But it's necessary when it's clear that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed. Once that's done, our goal is to eventually reunite the child and family."

Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.

[Last modified June 25, 2007, 22:46:11]