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Child Safety Accountability

Protecting our children is crucial to the success of society.

Children are often one of the most underserved and voiceless groups in society. The adults around them make decisions on their behalf, frequently without fully considering the long-term effects on their well-being. As a result, children’s needs and interests can be overlooked, leaving them vulnerable in systems meant to protect and support them.

Inadequate Training

Legislators have placed misplaced trust in the belief that employees of Child & Family Services, County Sheriffs, courts, and other agencies responsible for enforcing custodial orders are properly trained. In reality, many lack the necessary expertise to address the complex problems arising from custodial disputes post-separation or divorce. This insufficient training leads to inconsistencies and misapplication of the protections intended by the legislature to safeguard both children and parents.

2

Lack of Experienced Personnel

While the legislature assumes that agencies involved in family law disputes have adequately experienced employees, the truth is that many professionals, including those in Child & Family Services, law enforcement, and the court system, are ill-equipped to manage the nuanced and emotionally charged situations that accompany post-divorce and custody issues. The gap in expertise undermines the legislative intent to protect families during these critical transitions.

3

Mismanagement of Funding

Despite Florida’s Child & Family Services and related agencies having access to extensive financial resources, there is a severe lack of oversight in how these funds are allocated and used. The legislature’s trust that these agencies have adequate funding is misplaced when there is little accountability or transparency, resulting in wasted resources that fail to directly support families and children as intended.

4

Weak Oversight

The legislature's belief that sufficient oversight exists within agencies responsible for enforcing custodial orders, such as CPS, law enforcement, and the courts, is misguided. In practice, these entities often operate without proper scrutiny, leading to unchecked discretion that can harm the very families they are tasked with protecting. Strengthening oversight mechanisms is essential to ensure these agencies enforce the protections designed by the legislature with accountability and fairness.

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