Social Worker Visits for Foster Children

I would like to commend Rhea Perlman and Ally Walker for sharing their concerns for the children of L.A. County. However, I would like to correct the inaccurate perceptions outlined in their March 12 commentary, “Remind the Foster Care System of Its Duties.” As of the end of January, the Department of Children and Family Services had 33,263 children in out-of-home placement. Nearly half, or 15,026 children, were placed with relatives and 1,592 were in adoptive homes awaiting the finalization papers to be approved.

A visitation waiver is used only when the child is already in a permanent or adoptive placement. In order words, the child has already been removed from the abusive situation and is well on his or her way to starting a new life. As of March 8, the department had 74 visitation waivers in effect.

To obtain the visitation waiver, the social worker must conduct a face-to-face visit with the child and caregiver in question, compile a quality-of-life assessment, evaluate the child’s physical environment, obtain personal statements from the child and secure the caregiver’s and child’s agreement to the waiver. This visitation waiver packet is then reviewed by the supervising children’s social worker and, if approved, goes to a review panel. This very specific and arduous process is unique to L.A. County. The state does allow for visitation waivers, which other counties routinely use.

It is my hope, with the facts more clearly defined, that we can join together to help the most vulnerable children in our community.

Paul Freedlund

Chief, Bureau of Children and

Family, Dept. of Children and

Family Services, Los Angeles