III 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 566 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

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.