Thursday, April 18, 2024 | St. Lawrence County, NY
BY JIMMY LAWTON North Country This Week CANTON — St. Lawrence County Legislators tabled a resolution that would have prevented foster children from being placed with Department of Social Services …
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BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week
CANTON — St. Lawrence County Legislators tabled a resolution that would have prevented foster children from being placed with Department of Social Services employees.
The resolution would have allowed the 10 children currently under DSS employee care to remain, but restrict foster placement moving forward.
Although the resolution did not lay out exactly what the policy would look like, it would have allowed the county to establish one.
Rita Curran, who brought the resolution forward, asked to table it at a committee meeting Oct. 12.
Curran said she wanted more time to gather information on the matter before moving it forward.
That sentiment was echoed by legislators Margaret Haggard and Larry Denesha.
The resolution comes in the wake of complaints made by foster parents who claimed that some DSS employees had sought to foster children who were already under adequate care as well as claims that those employees were collecting higher rates for the care.
While DSS employees are not restricted legally from fostering children, some raise ethical concerns regarding the department overseeing its own employees in that fashion.
Some counties in New York allow DSS employees to foster children, but oversight is performed by a neighboring county department.
According to the resolution 10 children are in care of DSS employees
The resolution says the board wishes to “adopt a policy that recognizes the concerns of the general public while simultaneously recognizing that many of the children have become comfortable and are well cared for in their current settings.”
It continues, “establishing a policy that ceases future placements of children in care in employee foster care settings, while permitting those currently placed to remain there, may be in the best interests of both the county and the children.”
The resolution was tabled until Nov. 1 to allow time to further research the matter.
Meanwhile the county has hired the Bonadio Group to investigate claims made against the county.
