Fixing the safety net

Gov. Jim Justice indicated Tuesday during his weekly press briefing that Child Protective Services workers in the state Department of Human Services were not aware of the child prior to police officers finding her in a near “skeletal state” after years of malnutrition.

“The CPS folks, from what I understand, had no idea about this child, no idea whatsoever,” Justice said.

The governor is relying on information provided by other state officials in a system that is designed to protect the identities of possible child abuse victims, as well as the identity of anyone who may report the abuse.

Some state leaders and media are calling for more transparency in that system. That happens each time news of some horrific abuse case comes to light.

Department of Human Services Cabinet Secretary Cynthia Persily said in a prepared statement that her department is unable to release details on this or any other child abuse investigation.

She cited state code that her department and its workers must follow.

“Confidential reporting of child abuse and neglect is a keystone to the efficacy of our system and the work we do to prevent abuse and neglect,” Persily said. “It is essential to recognize that confidentiality protocols, mandated by both State and Federal law, are designed and implemented to encourage those with knowledge and information of abuse and neglect to intervene and report on behalf of children at risk without the fear of reprisals.”

Again, we understand why those procedures are in place, but we also see that the system has once again failed another child.

Those around this girl, including her mother, who has been charged, failed her. But there are other aspects of the societal safety net that have gaping loopholes.

Those include state laws that allow parents to take their children out of the public school system, yet mandate few procedures to ensure that homeschooling is really occurring.

Reports indicate that relatives of the Boone County girl say she had been in and out of the school system for the past five years. That means her mother, and perhaps others, could keep her away from the attention of a caring teacher, administrator, counselor or service personnel. Those people may have been able to stop a senseless death — and they are required by law to report child abuse concerns.

While we support homeschooling and other modes of private education, we also believe that those children and their parents should be required to be responsive to a county school system’s education and welfare checks.

While protecting parents’ ability to educate their own children, we believe state leaders could put an important safeguard in place by requiring some form of in-person check-ins through which a child’s educational progress and well-being could be monitored.

While we do believe this change, as well as providing for more transparency in these matters while still protecting the child’s identity, is needed, we also believe that Gov. Justice is right to call on all West Virginians to be more observant to help protect the children of this state.

“Really and truly, this is no different than being diligent in every way from the standpoint of if you see someone who looks suspicious or there may be something possibly going on, speak up and tell us about all of this,” Justice said.

Let’s all do our part to protect our most precious resource — our children.