The Director of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) has been candid in his conversations, touring the state to lay out his ideas for reform as well as get ideas from the public.
Director Bobby Cagle admits efforts to reduce case loads, improve morale and train new workers could take years.
But the watchdog agency created to make sure children are being protected, says there are some concerns that need to be addressed right now.
11Alive has learned the Office of the Child Advocate has spent several months auditing one county within each of DFCS' service regions.
DFCS has spent more than $3 million to catch up on past due investigations and received millions more to hire 625 new caseworkers.
You would think that kind of investment alone would make a difference where it matters most – on the front line where caseworkers have to make the difficult assessment of whether a child is safe.
Now, for the first time, the father of a little girl brutally beaten and killed by her mother sat down to talk about what happened. The death of Heaven Woods helped spur the move for change.
But has that change really happened?
11Alive is holding DFCS accountable with a special report at 11 p.m.
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