Maryland Auditors: Children Placed with Foster Care Providers With History of Neglect, Abuse

Maryland’s indepedent Office of Legislative Audits has uncovered cases where 32 children were placed into 6 abusive homes between 2007 and 2010. These foster providers were kinship care providers.

Officials admit that they knew that these households had abuse or neglect issues.

“State regulations prohibit children from being placed in either foster homes or in the homes of extended family where there has been evidence of abuse or neglect — unless a local director grants an exception.”

There is no paperwork granting any exception.

“The area has seen foster parent horror stories before. A woman in Calvert County who adopted three foster care children in D.C. was convicted in 2010 of killing and freezing two of the girls. According to reports, officials in the District allowed her to adopt the girls despite a criminal past.

The instances of abuse or neglect of the six Maryland providers occurred before the state placed children in their homes, White said. She said the agency conducts criminal background checks on all providers.

Almost all of the six had histories of neglect, not abuse, White said. She defined neglect as leaving a child unsupervised or not taking child to a medical appointment, for example.”

The finger-pointing is beginning.
Maryland auditors: Children placed with foster care providers with history of neglect, abuse
[The Washington Examiner 3/27/11 by Alex Pappas]

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