"Children die from neglect. They didn't just die from physical abuse and sexual assault," said Spigner. "So it's a false dichotomy."
At the panel's urging, DHS had already begun responding with the same speed to all complaints involving younger children, regardless of their nature.
To underscore the new philosophy, Evans said, he has told his people, with a bit of hyperbole: "If we get a call saying, 'The hair isn't combed right,' we go out and see the kid."
The panel also called on DHS to do a better job of analyzing its performance and become more open with the public.
The department had piles of data in expensive computer systems, but made almost no effort to analyze it, the panel found.
"It's all there, but it never really comes together," said Evans.
He has been more transparent about the agency's inner workings since taking the post in October.
To turn around the agency, Evans will have to rely on the existing cadre of DHS managers, many of whom have been promoted over the years from social worker positions to management jobs without proper training, the panel said.
"Managing requires a different set of skills, and there has not been an investment to help people acquire them," said Spigner. "There are people in key positions who don't know how to manage."
Rita Urwitz, head of the DHS supervisors' union, said she did not quarrel with the need for more management training.
"There has been for many, many years a problem with the infrastructure and zero training for staff and no real plan to fix it," Urwitz said.
Estelle B. Richman, who once was the senior child-welfare official in Philadelphia and now heads the state's Department of Public Welfare, said the report was a powerful critique of DHS.
"Unfortunately, the report is also a reminder that we've gone though this before," she said. "The challenge for me and everyone else is to never have to go through another report like this again."
Video of panelists discussing their findings plus an online Q&A with the co-chair are posted at
