Florida child welfare system can’t handle violent youths, insiders say
Following a recent police shootout involving two young Florida teens in Volusia County, the sheriff calls the system broken.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone found the system isn’t designed for kids with violent tendencies.
To care for kids in mentala recent shootout involvinCounty, the sheriff, they'a complete overhaul of flosystem.
But as I found outdesigned to care for the msystem.
But as I found outYeah, yeah, yeah, shootingthe Volusia County Sheriffheart pounding moments toon deputies, Not old enougThe 12 year old boy and 14away from a group home befto the sheriff stealing thincluding an AK 47 For whalater describe as an unimashootout between two kidsout, his retreating insidesystem broken.
It's groupcare for kids in need, inckids with violent tendencicapable of handling violentheir staff trained for.
Ifirst reported two years aparents so desperate to gehealth help, they resortedof them.
Today.
The Departand Families, which oversewelfare system, includingcare to more than 36,000 kof them getting that careincluding at group homes.and under resourced insidethe kinds of programming ais very expensive and ablekids and keep them safe.
AEckerd connects works withfor kids in need on floridgot the house while this iCounty is unusual.
He saysentering the system in sevis increasing.
The kids thour system these days areit's impossible for us toand help them card fears iin october.
The new federagoes into effect while itout of foster care and outproviding more services toSome child advocates fearit tougher for kids with tneed to get help.
Every onwith us with different nuaissues, different trauma iwe can't just apply one trsystem is struggling everykids from believing they cpolice and walk away unscatwice.
