Earlier this month, Franklin County Children's Services overcame formal opposition to win voter approval of a 1-point-9 mill property tax levy. By winning at the polls, the agency avoided staff lay-offs and other cutbacks. But, critics of the agency say it still needs to be more accountable in its handling of custody cases.Perhaps the most vocal critic of Franklin County children's Services is the group called: Families Against Children Services Corruption Political Action Committee." The group advocates for clients who have complaints against the county agency....clients like Roline Williams, a 22 year old who claims children's service wrongly took custody of her son when she was 15.
Roline williams spent most of her childhood in foster homes. She says at age 14 she was raped but decided to keep the baby. But, she returned from school one day to discover her son was removed from the foster home where she lived.
Ms. Williams son is now approaching seven years old. Recently she recounted her complaint to Children's services Deputy Director Eric Fenner and Children's services Director of Recruitment Doris Calloway-Moore as the two appeared on W-V-K-O radio's "front Street" talk show with host Charles Traylor.
Fenner says Franklin County Children's services is required to investigate every allegation of maltreatment of child and it gets its authority either from the police, a court order, or by agreement with the parent or custodian. The agency also has an Ombudsman that investigates complaints against the agency.
Last year,Franklin County Children's Services says it provided foster care for more than 37-hundred children and placed 310 children in adoptive homes. Most cases were handled properly.