Putting Children First
Public Act No. 26-26 will:
- Prioritize placing children with family members and responsible adults who are already in their lives.
- Make sure there is follow-up with sister agencies when DCF-involved children travel out of state.
- Support caregivers and children with funding for after-school programs, childcare, and incidentals.
- Uplift our child welfare workforce through improved training, stipends for mentors and mentees, and personal emergency communication devices.
- Require additional eyes on children who are the subject of multiple reports of abuse or neglect, and those residing with someone on parole or probation after incarceration for serious crimes against children.
- Provide robust real-time data for policymakers and the public on DCF performance through a user-friendly dashboard.
- Establish a new committee to gather legislators, state agencies, experts, and stakeholders to review our child welfare policies and performance and make recommendations for improvements.
This significant legislation reflects a bipartisan effort to reform the Department of Children and Families with policies and procedures that put children first, and a commitment to continued attention to this important issue.