office of child and family services
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PublishedNovember 10, 2021
Maine’s child welfare ombudsman tells lawmakers: ‘We need to do something different’
Christine Alberi, the independent watchdog over the Office of Child and Family Services, told lawmakers Wednesday that 'deep-seated problems' persist even as investigations continue into the state agency responsible for child welfare.
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PublishedAugust 11, 2021
Lawmakers set aggressive timeline for latest review of child protective services
The Legislature's Government Oversight Committee directed its investigative arm to closely examine oversight and safety in the wake of another round of high-profile deaths of children.
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PublishedJuly 9, 2021
Lawmaker cites ‘appalling’ death of 3-year-old in call for probe of Maine’s child welfare system
The Legislature's Government Oversight Committee will meet Wednesday with state officials in child protective services.
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PublishedJune 3, 2021
Maine Senate votes to create separate child welfare agency
The proposal, which faces further votes in the Legislature, is a response to concerns that reforms are not happening quickly enough after several high-profile child-abuse deaths.
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PublishedApril 15, 2021
Our View: Child welfare not the job of just one agency
A proposed new department is well intentioned, but does not address a much broader problem.
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PublishedApril 13, 2021
Lawmaker wants new state department to protect Maine kids
Sen. Bill Diamond of Windham makes his proposal in response to children's deaths that exposed weaknesses in Maine's system for protecting children from abuse and neglect.
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PublishedMay 12, 2020
Maine’s high court rejects appeal of murder conviction in 4-year-old girl’s death
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court rejected Shawna Gatto's claims that the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction.
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PublishedApril 18, 2020
Child protection workers caring for their own kids can’t get paid leave
Although an emergency federal law expanded the Family Medical Leave Act, DHHS caseworkers and others in Maine are not eligible, so they must choose between protecting vulnerable children and keeping their own safe.
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PublishedApril 5, 2020
Pandemic sparks concerns about child abuse in Maine
Child abuse hotline calls have declined sharply since the coronavirus closed schools in the state, cutting at-risk children off from the people most likely to report problems.