Court Monitor Finds D.C. Child Welfare System Improving; Recommends Ending Post-Receivership Probati

PRESS RELEASE

The court monitor in the child welfare reform lawsuit, LaShawn A. v. Williams, has recommended to the federal district court that the probationary period following the termination of receivership control be ended because the District of Columbia's Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) has met court-ordered benchmarks, showing progress in several key areas. These benchmarks were established by the Court in October 2000, and measured for the period May 31, 2001, to May 31, 2002.

Among other achievements, the child welfare agency has succeeded in:

*Increasing the percentage of children being placed in adoptive homes and having their adoptions finalized by 21%;
*Increasing the percentage of children placed with siblings to 60%;
*Reducing the number of young children placed in group institutional placements by over 50%.

Once the probationary period has ended, the full LaShawn Remedial Order will be in effect according to an agreed-upon implementation plan. If compliance does not continue to improve, the District will have the burden of demonstrating to the court why it should not be held in contempt.
"On behalf of the children we represent, we are pleased to see that concerted efforts by CFSA have resulted in real benefits for children," said Marcia Robinson Lowry, director of Children's Rights, who brought the LaShawn lawsuit. "The District now has to work even harder to build on these achievements if it hopes to protect children, and comply with the LaShawn court order."

Children's Rights works throughout the United States in partnership with national and local experts, advocates and government officials to document the needs of children in the care of child welfare systems. Children's Rights helps develop realistic solutions and, where necessary, uses the power of litigation to ensure that reform takes place.