Perdue defends child welfare system

Governor Sonny Perdue says the state's child welfare administrators are doing their best, despite two reports that indicate otherwise.

Perdue defends the state Division of Child and Family Services in an interview with GPB television's Georgia Weekly, which will air Sunday at 1 PM.

"I give the department a good grade, a grade of great effort and great progress," he said. "I have a lot of confidence in [Department of Human Resources] Commissioner [B.J.] Walker."

But a report by the state child advocate and preliminary findings from a federal review indicate the state is leaving children in homes where they are being mistreated. The documents accuse agency staff of failing to investigate incidents of child abuse.

Also on Georgia Weekly, Perdue says he will not suspend state gas taxes anytime soon, despite rising gas prices.

He also denies rumors that he is positioning himself as a vice-presidential candidate.

Report: State leaves children in danger

Georgia’s child welfare system leaves children in danger, according a federal review.

The preliminary review found that Georgia leaves welfare children in homes where they are being maltreated, and doesn’t accurately report that abuse.

The review also found that the state is not investigating cases of children sexually abusing other children while in care.

The review covered cases in Fulton, Floyd and Walton counties.

Today Georgia’s Child Advocate Dee Simms characterized Georgia’s performance in taking care of children as getting a grade F.

Help wanted: state child advocate

Gov. Sonny Perdue has assembled a three-member team to search for the next state child advocate, who monitors the state's child welfare services. The current advocate, Dee Simms, became embroiled in controversy after she released a scathing report of the Fulton County child welfare office.

Perdue's chosen recruiters have close ties to his office. Rebecca Sullivan was his executive counsel. Joy Hawkins, now with the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, served as Perdue's deputy chief operating officer. Abel Ortiz served as Perdue's health policy advisor and now works at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. They will nominate at least three candidates, and Simms could be among them. She has said that she would like to keep her post.

In March, Simms' office released a report charging the Fulton County child and family services department with bad leadership, high caseloads, and child neglect. The county director was re-assigned to a state office, but state leaders continue to defend the agency against the charges. During his first term, Perdue promised to reform the overburdened child welfare division.

Simms was first appointed to her post by Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, and later re-appointed by Perdue. Her term officially expired in October.