Jill Carter: Rebuilding trust in Missouri's child welfare

(From Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby)

As chair of the Families, Seniors, and Health Committee and a liaison for our community, I’ve sat in countless meetings with judges, juvenile officers, CASA representatives, Children’s Center staff, and other stakeholders, hearing their deep frustrations with Missouri’s child welfare system. 

Their lack of trust, forged by years of leadership turnover, inconsistent practices, and resource shortages, is palpable. Discovering unnecessary deaths of children in foster care only deepened my own dismay. Yet, in a recent meeting facilitated by our office with the Children’s Division, our community’s resolve to confront these challenges shone through, giving hope to the notion that our child welfare system is not hopelessly broken.

Our stakeholders’ frustrations stem from real barriers. Judges describe cases stalled by misaligned policies, leaving children in limbo. Juvenile officers decry poor coordination with the Division, delaying critical interventions. CASA volunteers and Children’s Center staff highlight service gaps worsened by budget cuts and the pandemic’s fallout. In meeting after meeting, they’ve shared heart-wrenching stories of neglected children and critical incidents, questioning whether the system—marked by five leadership changes in as many years—can ever stabilize. “Why trust new promises?” they ask. “Will change last?” This skepticism reflects a system that has too often failed them, yet their persistence signals hope.

This week, our community brought these concerns to the Children’s Division’s new leadership. Unlike past interactions, the Division’s team listened intently, acknowledging service shortages, practice inconsistencies, and even fatalities with rare candor. Our stakeholders didn’t just vent; they demanded action—better coordination, more resources, and consistent policies. The Division’s commitment to a follow-up meeting wasn’t a hollow promise but a step toward partnership, aligning with our call for collaboration with courts, schools, and law enforcement to protect children.

Our community’s strength disputes the narrative of a broken system. Judges push for accountability through case processes; juvenile officers advocate for transparency in reporting services; CASA volunteers fight for every child’s voice. Their dedication mirrors the desired resilience the Division’s leadership describes, but it’s our stakeholders driving change. By facilitating these dialogues, our office has seen firsthand their refusal to accept defeat. They’re not waiting for quick fixes—they’re requesting a system centered on safety, where child protection and family preservation coexist, as the Division’s new guiding principle suggests.

The road ahead isn’t easy. Resource shortages persist, and past instability fuels doubt. But our community’s optimism after this meeting signals potential progress. We all left encouraged, not because of promises alone, but because finally their voices are helping to shape the conversation. This is no short chapter; it’s a turning point. Our community stakeholders’ tireless advocacy, consistent practices, and transparency—lays the foundation for a stronger system.

To our community members in the trenches: your work matters. Every judge ruling for a child’s safety, every officer coordinating care, every volunteer amplifying a child’s voice moves us forward. Our children deserve a system determined to service and safety.