The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "child services" ...
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The Smallest Victims
KTVU journalists set out to find out if the deaths of two California children could have been prevented by the child welfare workers assigned to protect them. The investigation uncovered that there is no accountability or transparency in the child welfare system and called for changes. KTVU had to sue to obtain information about the State Department of Social Services' "contact with children who have died or been seriously injured while under its supervision"; several months after the report aired, pressure from child advocates and the California legislature pressured the department to make that information available to the public.
Tags: child welfare; beating; death; welfare system; Alameda County Department of Social Services; California; FOIA; foster children
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Failed by the System
In at least 30 cases since July 1, 1999, children in Oklahoma have died from abuse or neglect even though the state Department of Human Services had previous reports they were being abused. In many cases, there were numerous prior reports of abuse but the state failed to remove the children and they ended up dying. During that time, the state paid at least $1 million to settle lawsuits involving child welfare workers.
Tags: child abuse; child neglect; Department of Human Services; child welfare
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State of Denial
Arizona Child Protection Services is the state agency charged with protecting abused and neglected children. Until a new law took affect in 2005, CPS workers were not required to have background checks. A number of CPS caseworkers had criminal backgrounds and couldn't pass the checks. Unsure what to do, CPS didn't fire those workers and the situation remains.
Tags: Child Protection Services; criminal backgrounds; government workers; background checks; child abuse; neglect; Arizona Open Records Law
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Little Court of Horrors
This investigation examined how well juvenile courts handle child protection matters and how the children, whose plight has just recently become a matter of public record, are faring. The investigation found that the reform intended to strengthen the state's child protection system has dramatically increased the rate at which children are being taken from their parents ---permanently. The law was intended to fast-track cases, but it does not allow the time or provide the services families need to address the matters that landed them in court to begin with.
Tags: child abuse; child court; foster care; sunshine law; open records; social services
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Home Is Where the Hurt Is
An eight year old girl was taken out of her home because of neglect. It was soon discovered that the girl had been sexually abused by her mother. Despite pleas by professionals and from the girl not to take her back, social services returned the child to her mother who has since left the state. The girl's aunt is trying to get her back.
Tags: Sexual abuse; social services; child abuse; neglect; FOIA
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Kids in Crisis: When the State Steps In
This documentary examines the process behind court ordered forcible removal of children from their families. It covers exchanges between social workers, police, parents, children and judges and follows the real-life court intervention of an Indiana family. Cameras follow the forcible removal of children from their home in the middle of the night.
Tags: child welfare; social services; family court; police; families; children
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"Public Money, Private Schools"
Ohio standardized testing and the No Child Left Behind program require test scores be disclosed to the public so taxpayers and parents can compare results. Thousands of Ohio children, who receive hundreds of millions of dollars worth of taxpayer-provided services, are exempt from standardized testing, and its sanction and reporting provisions. That's because Ohio law states that non-public elementary schools do not have to administer statewide proficiencies. So taxpayers have no idea what they are getting for their educational dollar going to non-public education.
Tags: private education; public education; standardized testing; No Child Left Behind
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Juvenile Sex Predators
This investigation delved into the statistic that one out of four sex offenses against children are committed by children. Child sexual predators often go unpunished because of their minor status.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; FOIA; department of justice; sex crimes; sex offender; children; sexual assault; kid; teen; abuse; child services; juvenile; minor
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Close Proximity
KIRO-TV used mapping software to prove that more than 600 registered sex offenders in Washington state are living within one city block of a licensed daycare, a state law violation. The reporters found an entire household of pedophiles living two doors away from a daycare. The state knew of this situation, but kept it a secret. KIRO-TV cameras also captured a known child molester living at the same address as a licensed home daycare facility.
Tags: mapping software; registered sex offenders; licensed daycare centers; Department of Corrections felony database; Washington State Department of Social and Health Services database; Washington State Patrol database of registered sex offenders.
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Cries for Help
WTHR followed up their 2003 series, "Failure to Protect," on children in foster care with this series. Using Indiana's newly revised open records law, WTHR requested all reports of childrens' death while under the care of Family & Social Services from the past two years. They found many missing records, challenged the agency in court and won. The transcript file includes some summaries of child death data and some FOIA documents.
Tags: Foster care; Family and social services; child abuse; child care; FOIA