[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 566 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 566

    Expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the importance of 
  preventing child abuse and neglect before they occur and achieving 
 permanency and stability for children who must experience foster care.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 12, 2006

Mrs. Clinton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
        the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the importance of 
  preventing child abuse and neglect before they occur and achieving 
 permanency and stability for children who must experience foster care.

Whereas in 2004, authorities received reports that an estimated 3,000,000 
        children suffered child abuse or neglect, and the reports of abuse or 
        neglect were substantiated for approximately 872,000 of the children;
Whereas in 2004, 1,490 children died tragically as a result of abuse;
Whereas research from the United States Children's Bureau of the Department of 
        Health and Human Services shows that a greater amount of caseworker 
        contact with children and parents results in better outcomes for 
        families;
Whereas child protective service agencies throughout the country have set goals 
        in order to improve service quality, including the agencies in New York, 
        whose goal is to maintain caseloads at an average of 12 cases per 
        caseworker, with a maximum of 5 new cases per caseworker each month;
Whereas research on child welfare service staff suggests the need for staff that 
        have formal social work education, especially education obtained through 
        specialized child welfare programs; and
Whereas research on child welfare service staff has shown a link between a 
        supportive and flexible organizational environment and reduced staff 
        turnover: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) Congress should increase funding to provide for 
        additional child welfare service caseworkers and associated 
        administrative costs;
            (2) Congress should encourage States to set goals for 
        decreasing caseloads of child welfare service caseworkers, in 
        order to ensure quality service for the most vulnerable 
        children; and
            (3) Congress should encourage States to implement policies 
        with increased educational and professional development 
        expectations for caseworkers in child welfare service agencies.
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