Summer vacation is just around the corner, but for many children, school is their safest place.
There were over 76,000 calls into counties about possible child abuse and maltreatment in 2021, according to the most recent public data. That’s over 200 calls per day.
Of those, less than half were actually investigated. We know far too many children are being abused and neglected here in Minnesota. And far fewer appear to be receiving the help they need from their county.
The state measures its performance based on a handful of measures. Unfortunately, many of these measures fall short of performance standards, including:
- Maltreatment Rereporting: The number of children who have more than one report made about them within 12 months.
- 24 Hour Response: The percentage of egregious reports alleging “substantial child endangerment” that receive a visit from a caseworker within one day.
- Five-Day Response: The percentage of less severe reports that receive a visit from a caseworker within 5 days.
- Physical Health of Foster Care Children: The percentage of children entering foster care that receive a comprehensive medical exam within a year.
We want to see the state earn better marks in these areas.
What can you do as a taxpayer and concerned citizen? Pay attention to your county’s own measures. Report suspected abuse. Ask how you can become more involved. And support the efforts of Safe Passage for Children to hold our government accountable to protect kids.