Social Workers Speak Out About Los Angeles Times Coverage

There’s an article in today’s edition of the Los Angeles Times about the Department of Children and Family Services and child deaths. The story is sad and somewhat inconclusive. You can read the full story here.
We’re writing today to let you in on a little of the back story. Through our union, SEIU Local 721, we speak to this reporter regularly and we also consistently send in letters to the editor in response to articles in the Los Angeles Times, though only infrequently are they published. 
As social workers we are troubled by any increase in child abuse. We may not know enough about system-wide trends to weigh in on an increase in deaths related to abuse, especially when there are so many variables, but we do know how to ask questions and we encouraged the reporter to consider: 

• What are the rates of child deaths, including homicides, nationally?  
• Is there a connection to the economy?  
• How many of the deaths are related to neglect and abuse versus circumstances?

We can’t control everything in the newspaper, but SEIU membership has been calling for reform to the child welfare system for more than a year and we can impact change. Los Angeles County social workers are professionals who care about families and provide services every day despite unacceptable circumstances and we deserve support.
If you would like to send in a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times in response to this article, please send a copy to SEIU 721 as well.
Sincerely,

Tony Bravo and Blanca Gomez
SEIU 721 Executive Board Members and LA County Social Workers
P.S. There is another Los Angeles Times article slated about the backlog of ER cases. We went on the record for that story about quality social work, needed systemic changes and our encouragement that the CEO is also focused on making the Department of Children and Family Services function better.