The ACLU and Childrens Rights, Inc. urged support to a proposed audit of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare (BMCW)

September 23, 2004

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin and Childrens Rights, Inc.
today urged the Wisconsin Joint Legislative Audit Committee to support a
proposed audit of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare (BMCW). The BMCW is the state agency charged with overseeing the foster care system in Milwaukee County.

The ACLU and Childrens Rights litigated against the state for more than a
decade to obtain better treatment for children in the foster care system.
The case was settled in 2002. Many improvements have been made, including more frequent visits by case managers, more prompt investigations of maltreatment in foster homes and an end to the use of shelters for children.

Other serious concerns remain. Too many children spend years in foster care, often with frequent placement changes. And there has been some recent increase in maltreatment while in care.

The ACLU and Childrens Rights are also concerned about many aspects of the foster care system not covered by the negotiated settlement, including the extremely high turnover rate for foster care case managers and the decision making process for deciding whether or not a child is taken in to custody in the first instance. A more thorough review is also needed to make sure that the computer data the state reviews, on things such as case managers' visits to foster children, reflects what is actually happening. An audit would help provide the answers - and help make sure the foster care system is truly protecting Milwaukee's abused and neglected children.