School of Social Work, USC
Dean of the USC School of Social Work; member of the Blue Ribbon CommissionPROFILE
Marilyn Flynn
Guest
FROM Marilyn Flynn
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Four former LA County social workers face criminal charges A ruling yesterday means four LA County social workers will go to trial on child abuse and other charges in the death of an 8-year-old boy. It’s a controversial first for Los Angeles. Could it drive potential recruits away from the field altogether? Marilyn Flynn is the dean of social work at USC. (Courtesy of USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work)
Which Way, L.A.?
Child Protection: "A State of Emergency" For decades, there have been horror stories about kids under the supervision of LA County. In 1996, 2008 and 2012, child protection services have been criticized and supposedly upgraded, but many of the 36,000 kids under County jurisdiction are still “unseen, unheard and unsafe.” That’s the conclusion of the latest blue-ribbon commission, appointed last year when 8-year old Gabriel Fernandez was brutally killed after six visits by social workers, who failed to remove him from the custody of his mother and her boyfriend. They’re both facing charges of 1st degree murder. Next Tuesday, the commission will make a report to the Board of Supervisors.
Which Way, L.A.?
LA County Blue Ribbon Commission to Reform Child Welfare Angency LA County is trying to fire four social workers after the recent death of an 8-year-old boy—allegedly tortured by his mother and her boyfriend. Earlier this year, a scathing report on the lack of protection for thousands of abused children led to reforms now underway at the Department of Child and Family Services. But the record of failure is so aggravated and so long that the Board of Supervisors has appointed a blue-ribbon task force to see if more can be done. It’s first meeting will be tomorrow.
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