Expediency's offspring

Today, kids on the back burner

Thank you for "Another child slips through the cracks" [Times editorial, Aug. 7], about the failures of Child Protective Services (CPS). Children will ultimately benefit from continued public attention to CPS.

In spite of the recent minor improvements you mentioned, much more must be done before I can agree that the agency should not now be separated from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) as recommended by state Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington.

When I was working, I formed some vivid impressions of CPS from my occasional contact with their field offices across the state. I've been retired for 15 years but recent tragic news about children under CPS' aegis indicate that my old observations of CPS still are valid.

I don't doubt that caseworkers were good and decent people who initially were dedicated to their work. However, in spite of other qualifications they had, many had no previous ex-perience in planning, working on their own initiative or making decisions in the field, and they lacked the investigative and interviewing skills necessary to probe a case in depth.

Few developed those skills and abilities to a professional extent. Many became frustrated with having to deal repeatedly with the irresponsible element of society that contributed so many children to their caseloads. They were also frustrated by constant pressure from supervisors to complete cases and reduce their overly large caseloads.

Most supervisors were formerly caseworkers, some of whom became supervisors not because of supervisory talent or potential or a desire for career advancement, but because they didn't want to be caseworkers any longer.

Caseload management was paramount and casework results secondary. Caseworkers and supervisors relied on the extensive regulations and other documents in the office as a source for justification in closing a case or handling it with the least effort — not for guidance in best serving the child.

What should be done? First, recognize that CPS management must be held responsible for the quality of the agency's work rather than be shielded by layers of bureaucracy in CPS and DSHS. CPS must be separated from DSHS and operated as an independent agency, with new leadership responsible directly to the governor.

Second, CPS must be staffed at all levels with intelligent, competent, motivated employees capable of showing initiative, resourcefulness and dedication to the needs of children. This will require intensive training for those who have become drones just grinding out cases, and perhaps elimination of some of them.

Harry Petersen lives in Bellevue.