Review faults inaction by DHS

The newspaper has been fighting since November to obtain copies of the full child-fatality reviews, which detail how each child under the agency's care died. When that request was denied, the newspaper asked for the recommendations made in the death reviews, but the city declined to release them, citing state privacy laws.

Meanwhile, a panel convened by Mayor Street is conducting its own review of all 52 child deaths. That report is due out by the end of this month. Panel members have declined to discuss their findings, saying they will disclose the results to the mayor first.

Among the other findings in yesterday's report:

Services to children in the home, intensive services aimed at protecting children to teaching parents how to parent better, must be provided to all children in the home, not just the child identified as in need.

In high-risk cases, social workers and supervisors should meet more often, at least quarterly, to discuss a case.

Findings from death reviews should be used to develop new training around the issues of child safety and child fatalities.

Evans said the agency was now in the second phase of its reform action plan. The undertaking is enormous. The agency provides services for nearly 38,000 children. It saves many children from abuse and death, he said, but must go further.

"We just can't be focused on protecting a child," Evans said. "We have to intervene to break the cycle of abuse and neglect. We have to think about the next generation."

Since October, The Inquirer has been writing about children who have been harmed or killed after coming to the attention of the Department of Human Services. To read previous stories, visit

at 215-854-2473 or johnsullivan@phillynews.com.