Inexperience of Child Protective Services social workers a concern, lawmakers told

66% in training or considered entry level

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Kentucky lawmakers took sharp aim at the number of caseworkers vanishing from the workforce. At the October 13 meeting of the Child Welfare Oversight Committee, committee members heard staggering reports about staffing issues from the Department for Community-Based Services (DCBS).

According to DCBS, the state agency that oversees child protection services, the number of child protective services intakes has climbed to 112,000 since October 2020, reaching an all-time high in the number of kids in state care. Meanwhile, staffing problems have grown much worse as well, with nearly 400 case and social workers leaving the department since the beginning of the year. Some 66 percent of DCBS social workers are either still in training or considered entry-level employees.

This, in turn, has led to a surge in the average monthly caseloads soaring past what’s permitted by state law and national averages. The reports show social workers handle 26 ongoing cases. That number particularly swells between 70 to 80 cases in Jefferson and Fayette counties.

“Right now the ability of DCBS to serve Kentucky children is in utter freefall,” said Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade. “Kentucky already led the nation in reported cases of child abuse and neglect before the pandemic, and those numbers continue to skyrocket. It’s concerning when you consider that higher caseloads lead to more children not being taken care of and left suffering in dangerous or fatal situations.”

During the committee meeting, lawmakers pressed for how they can help DCBS meet their mission of helping children. DCBS shared the workforce issue stems from low wages and suggested increased funding to address staff shortages. Meade shared that the legislature had previously worked to increase social worker salaries, but that the administration raised concerns that the proposed raises targeted those who work directly with children.

“Those raises were discussed in our meetings and one thing we heard back from DCBS is that they were focused on pay disparity and that they didn’t want social workers making more than supervisors,” Meade added. “We understand that, but maybe with the stress level that these folks are facing we do need to look at paying frontline workers more. Maybe pay disparity is not what we need to look at right now, maybe we need to focus on where we need workers.”

Representative Ken Fleming referenced the General Assembly allocated $5 million in 2017 to recruit and retain front-line social workers. The state also approved a contract to help support administrative tasks, so caseworkers would not be so burdened by a backload of paperwork.

“Often when it comes to oversight, we want to hear ways to solve the looming number of kids in the system, ways we can provide better protection, and how we can shore up prevention programs. This isn’t a political issue,” said Fleming. “What’s most discouraging is DCBS made zero suggestions today for meeting the basic fundamental needs of children or addressing the issues they have right now. I keep waking up and seeing the same problem without a solution.

The Child Welfare Oversight and Advisory Committee was created by legislators to provide oversight on child welfare issues, including foster care, adoption, child abuse, neglect, and dependency. The committee meets monthly. To watch the October meeting, visit the Legislative Research Commission’s YouTube page.