In an effort to find success stories in child protection, Safe Passage would like to highlight improvements being made in Hennepin County.
In 2014, Hennepin County took a hard look at its child protection system and recognized that change was needed. A county review led to recommendations focused on supporting children’s well-being and making sure staff had the tools and support they needed to do their jobs well.
Those recommendations became a reality in 2019, after a federal lawsuit set clear expectations for how child protection work should be done. This included making sure children are interviewed privately and safely, that caseworkers meet one-on-one with children in foster care, that legal experts are consulted before closing certain cases, and that the use of shelter care is closely tracked.
As a result, currently:
- 91 percent of children are interviewed separately from alleged offenders.
- An average of 84 percent of case plans each month are completed in a timely manner, up from 64 percent in 2021.
- Child protection workers handle a reduced caseload size of about 7-9 cases and worker turnover is relatively low.
By the end of 2023, Hennepin County had met all the requirements of the settlement and continues to follow them today. Investments in staffing and services have helped make these improvements lasting and meaningful for the community.
Improvements don’t happen overnight; they happen incrementally. We applaud every county that is taking steps to improve policies and practices that better protect children.