Caseload crunch
AS THE CITY scrambles to explain the series of events that led to the death of 6-year-old Zymere Perkins, records show child protective workers’ caseloads are on the rise.
On average, caseworkers for the Administration for Children’s Services handled 10.6 cases each in fiscal year 2016 — up from 8.7 per worker in fiscal 2012, records show.
The number has risen in three of the last four years — even as abuse and neglect complaints to ACS from the state’s Central Register has stayed flat at around 55,000.
In May 2014, Mayor de Blasio vowed to hire 362 new staffers and slash caseloads in half.
However, figures would seem to indicate there are fewer caseworkers to investigate complaints, even after multiple high-profile incidents in recent years where children were abused and died.
ACS spokeswoman Carol Caceres declined Wednesday to explain the increase in caseloads, saying only that the “number of ACS frontline staff fluctuates in any given year.
“We are constantly hiring and training new child protective specialists to account for attrition and promotions,” she said.
Caceres noted that the load is still less than the state caseworker average of 15 and below the city’s target of 12.
“As a result of the city’s investments in caseload reduction, New York City child protective caseworkers now have average caseloads among the lowest in the state,” she said.
Caceres said that under Commissioner Gladys Carrion, ACS recently bulked up its staff, hiring 300 “child protective specialists” since January, with another 175 set to be hired by year’s end. It was not noted how many caseworkers departed.
Since fiscal 2015, the number of caseworkers has risen from 1,660 to 1,886 as of Aug. 26.
Meanwhile, the rate of abuse complaints found to be substantiated has also dropped. It rose dramatically after the 2006 death of Nixzmary Brown — but dropped from nearly 40% in fiscal 2012 to 36.1% in fiscal 2016.
ACS officials believe this is due to increased training for caseworkers, but have monitored the trend to ensure there’s no indication cases are being unnecessarily closed.
The head of the union representing caseworkers, Anthony Wells, of Local 371 District Council 37, noted his members are under tremendous pressure to resolve cases under trying circumstances.
“It’s not an exact science,” he said. “We depend on training, common sense and collateral issues. These workers work under the most adverse situations. They take this very seriously. They know what job they have. They know the responsibility of it. When a child dies, it touches many workers.”