Children & Poverty: Putting Children First

Putting Children First is an advocacy initiative of the Bishop's Task Force on Children and Poverty in the South Indiana Conference. For more information about it, please contact:

• Rev. Darren Cushman Wood
• Speedway UMC
• 5065 W 15th Street
• Indianapolis, IN 46224
• dcushwood@speedway-umc.org
• 317.241.1563 church
• 317.966.2160 cell

For anyone interested in organizing for this effort, the SIC has produced a Putting Children First Organizer's Kit (which includes all of the information on this web page) to aid you. You must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view/print this document.

Background Information

The Indiana Commission on Abused and Neglected Children and their Families was created by the Indiana General Assembly in 2003 to address the crisis of abused and neglected children in the state. There are 32 recommendations (see attachment) which will be introduced as a variety of bills in the General Assembly. Many of them will be heard in the House of Representative’s Family and Children Human Affairs Committee (chaired by Rep. Mary Kay Budak). The implementation of many of these proposals will be carried out by James Payne, director of the Indiana Department of Child Services (this is a new department that will take over all children’s issues that were administered by Family and Social Services Administration).

Highlights of the Recommendations

• increasing the number of caseworkers and improved training for all case workers (each worker would have no more than 12 active investigations per month and 17 children for ongoing workers.)
• develop services for youth who are “aging out” (turning 18 years of age or being emancipated) of the system
• expand and improve family support services in all counties
• improve foster parent training and assessment
• increase parental understanding of the child welfare system and their rights
• develop a public awareness campaign for positive parenting
• seek sound fiscal policies and sources of support for child welfare agencies, including better collection from parents.

Fast Facts on Neglected and Abuse Children in Indiana

• Indiana ranks 43rd in the nation for child support collections
• High case loads is one of the leading causes for caseworker turnover.
• In the past 2 years 120 Hoosier children have died of abuse or neglect.
• Every month over 1,700 Hoosier children are victims of abuse and neglect.
• There are nearly 11,000 children who are wards of the state, an 8 percent increase from 2002. Approximately half are in foster care.

Our Goals

Better Laws & Regulations: Seek the adoption of the recommendations from the Indiana Commission on Abused and Neglected Children and their Families, known as Putting Children First by the Indiana General Assembly.

More Funding: Seek adequate funding for the implementation of Putting Children First

Ongoing Partnerships: Pledge our support as churches to work with the State and other organizations in helping abused and neglected children and their families