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Staff ReportsJuly 3, 2017

As Floridians celebrate the long Independence Day weekend, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is reminding parents and caregivers to take extra precautions to keep children safe. While Independence Day is an important time to reflect on the nation’s history and celebrate our freedom, it is also important to take some simple steps […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 17, 2017

An ongoing debate in Florida has revolved around whether foster care or group care is the best way forward for the kids who need it. This question, as is the case with so many “safety net” questions, depends on who you ask and how the question is framed. In the last ten years, the usage […]

Florence SnyderApril 4, 2017

It’s that time of year when claims bills are briefly — very briefly — in the news. Claims bills are the state’s reluctant, belated, grudging way of saying “we’re sorry” for the malfeasance and malpractice that ruined someone’s life. In a functioning system, simple mistakes and honest errors are caught quickly and generally capable of […]

Florence SnyderApril 2, 2017

“Foster care kids are our kids. They are our kids,” said Boca Raton Democratic Sen. Kevin Rader in support of legislation making it easier for youth in state custody to obtain a driver’s license. You hear that line a lot — a lot — from “leadership” at the Department of Children & Families (DCF), and […]

Les NeuhausMarch 28, 2017

Naika-Venant-03.27-Medium-e1490637642232.jpg

Naika Venant’s mother vehemently refutes narratives by the state agency in a March 13 report, including suggestion she ‘allegedly’ commented on Facebook Live thread taunting daughter while watching and did nothing; lawyer says agencies ‘abysmally failed’ Naika. *** Naika Venant was a girl whose personality had turned from that of a bright and gifted child […]

Les NeuhausMarch 24, 2017

Part of a psychological evaluation administered to Naika Venant in June 2015 included a sentence completion test. For the beginning stem sentence “The thing I want to do most of all is …” the then-12-year-old girl responded: “Die happy.” Sentence tests can provide indications of attitudes, beliefs, motivations or other mental states. Other sentences she […]

Les NeuhausMarch 21, 2017

Two measures dealing with drug testing for certain public aid applicants and law enforcement taking over DCF’s role investigative role in another county met no resistance Tuesday. Among several bills heard by the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee were two dealing with applicants of temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) and child welfare […]

Les NeuhausMarch 17, 2017

The mother of a teen who committed suicide was in her car when she began receiving a trickle of text messages, Then a barrage of texts began streaming in. “Where’s your daughter,” one read. “Please please please check on your daughter,” read another. Gina Alexis, the mother of Naika Venant, the 14-year-old girl who hung […]

Les NeuhausMarch 13, 2017

A bill that would require drug testing for adults of families previously convicted of drug offenses who are applying for temporary family assistance from the state of Florida passed a House committee Monday. Sponsored by Rep. Chris Latvala, the bill – HB 1117 — would mandate the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to give […]

Les NeuhausMarch 13, 2017

A documentary film about Florida’s privatized child welfare and fostering programs — made by a Guardian ad Litem and filmmaker from Palm Beach — casts a draconian look at what happens to children when they are taken from abusive situations at home and become dependents of the state, at taxpayer expense, often to their peril. […]

Tag: DCF
Image via David Silvers.

DCF reminds families to stay safe while celebrating Independence Day

Group homes, foster care concern Senate panel

Florence Snyder: Why children die — Part 2; clues in the claims bills

Why children die – Part 1: If everybody’s responsible, nobody’s responsible

Did Florida DCF create media frenzy after foster child’s suicide to distract from agency errors?

Psychotropic cocktail may have contributed to Facebook Live suicide

Breezing through committee: Welfare drug testing, DCF takes backseat in Walton County

Records released by DCF portray different picture of mother in teen’s Facebook Live suicide

House committee OK’s bill to drug test temporary family aid seekers

‘Foster Shock’ documentary takes Florida’s privatized child welfare system to task