Thursday, March 25, 1999
More at-risk kids stay at home
But abuse complaints up overall
BY ANNE MICHAUD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Children at risk for abuse or neglect remained in their homes more often in 1998 than in 1997 while their parents received counseling to improve the situation.
A report released Wednesday by the Hamilton County Juvenile Court showed that the number of children under protective supervision in the home rose 28 percent in 1998, while temporary custody fell 12 percent and long-term foster care dropped 4 percent.
Permanent placement of children — whether back with their families or with new, adoptive families — rose to an all-time high of 83 percent last year.
However, the number of complaints increased 14 percent, to 577, after remaining steady since 1995.
The news for children is mostly good, said Lisa Portune, a juvenile court manager who compiled the report.
Human services officials “may be intervening earlier and allowing children to remain at home,” she said. “It's a positive sign that services are working as intended to keep families together.”
Crack cocaine use among parents has leveled off, which Judge Thomas Lipps of juvenile court said is a good sign.
The year-to-year trend in long-term foster care is encouraging, Judge Lipps said. However, since 1994, the number of children in long-term foster care, group homes and institutions has risen from 1,001 to 1,037.
“The kids in long-term foster care are very much a concern to us because they will probably never have a permanent home,” Judge Lipps said.
The Adoption and Safe Families Act, passed by Congress in 1997, sought to encourage courts to keep families together while reducing the time kids are in temporary care. In that light, this local report is very good, Judge Lipps said.
He could not give a reason for the increase in the number of complaints, but he said a one-year jump may not be significant.
“It is worrisome that it is edging up,” Judge Lipps said. “It's something I definitely want to watch.”
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