HAMILTON — Colleen Chamberlain, hired earlier this year as assistant director of the Butler County Children Services agency, failed to survive her probationary period and was fired this week.

        “She was not the right fit for the organization at this time,” said Mike Francis, the agency's interim executive director.

        Ms. Chamberlain, who earned $69,118 a year, had been accused at a recent board meeting of threatening a foster-care network because a foster parent filed a complaint against Children Services.

        Mr. Francis said that was one of several factors that prompted her firing. He declined to elaborate, saying it was a personnel issue.

        Ms. Chamberlain could not be reached.

        But Douglas Brooks, who recently resigned from the Children Services Board, defended Ms. Chamberlain as “a very talented, ethical agency administrator.”

        He said she had been “victimized by a small cabal of predators” who support County Commissioner Mike Fox, the leader of the drive to reform the agency.

        Mr. Fox disputed Mr. Brooks' allegations. He said Ms. Chamberlain's firing should serve as a warning to a “handful” of employees at the agency who have been resisting efforts to make Children Services employees more accountable.

        “There is going to be a new approach at Children Services that is not going to tolerate unprofessional and irresponsible behavior,” Mr. Fox said. “Particularly when it damages their ability to perform their job.”

        Examples of unprofessional conduct, he said, include being rude, failing to file complete, accurate case reports, and making threats to families or other agencies unconnected to the interests of the children.

        Mr. Fox said air was removed from the tires of Mr. Francis' car in the agency's parking lot. The car of Nancy Cooper, director of quality assurance, was scratched twice with keys while in the parking lot, he said. Those responsible for those actions haven't been identified.

        “Some of this behavior is scary stuff,” Mr. Fox said.

        The vast majority of Children Services caseworkers and supervisors have spotless complaint records since the agency set up a system for handling complaints two years ago, he said.

        “Most of the employees are doing a good job of protecting children and working with families,” Mr. Fox said. “It just takes a few to spoil the work of the entire agency.”

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