Would privatizing the child welfare system be more effective?

Question

It is apparent that most states child welfare systems aren't very effective and, in some cases, a dismal failure. Case workers are over worked, carrying massive caseloads, and underpaid, not to mention stressed out. Would privatization of them be a more effective option? Would it also help with the amount of those that slip through the cracks?

Privitization as in turning it over to other companies instead of the state running it.

Answer 1

"Privatization" is a popular movement in many levels of government, and for the most part it is an "ideological" action rather than one truly intended to improve the quality of service rendered. It comes from the idea that government is not efficient, that government should not do anything a private company can do (whether better or no), and that somehow "private" public services are more accountable.

The experience of the past 25 years has shown every one of these ideas to be a failure.

So let's first deal with your specific question, and then go back to the general matters a little.

Privatized child welfare services is an abject failure today in Florida. There's no better - or worse - example of privatizing what is appropriately a government function than this attempt to get out of paying for the service and devoting the proper management guidance to its operation. today there are more children "missing" from the system, more cases of fraud and abuse (by the SUPPLIERS of the service), and worse backlogs than when this was strictly a state-run program.

Part of the problem in Florida is that the state does not want to pay for ANY government services. Part is that government contracts in Florida are almost 100 per cent crooked in every way.

Foridians have a very screwed-up tax system, a corrupt state and local administrative structure, and a basic attitude that says any kind of public social service is unwanted, no matter what its purpose.

Many of these features are duplicated around the country in one way or another. Washington D.C. has about the worst child protection and service programs anywhere in the world.

The solution is not "privatization." All this does is create more opportunity for waste of money, failure, and less public accountability. What IS the solution is to make child services a higher priority, mobilize public opinion and support, and enable the political will to support these services. In Florida a public employee working for the Department of Children and Families earns about $19000 a year as a case worker - some less - and the turnover in those jobs is incredible. This is part of the scandal - the people doing the work themselves often qualify for welfare because they are so poorly paid. And the staffing has been chopped brutally, so the work load is greater on either the public or private side, without any improvement in pay or contract rates.

Now about the greater concept - ideologues who claim government is inefficient and incompetent make utterly stupid blanket statements. Yes, government CAN and DOEs foul up its work - as just described in Florida. Government also can do outstanding work. One way to make Federal services better would be to kick out senior incompetents holding political office - meaning jerks like George w. Bush, whose entire "Administration" has been shown to be incompetent in peace and war. But despite him, the machinery of Federal services grinds on and many government employees work sincerely and far beyond their job requirements to deliver good work.

Just because private companies will glady arise to take fat government contracts to do the jobs government now handles does not mean that's the best way to handle things. This is NOT "market economics" - it is sucking the public teat. Many of the tasks government undertakes are not good jobs for private industry - they are not always economically justified in terms of markets, the type of job may be considered economically "inefficient," or they are intended to serve the greater public on a long-standing, institutional basis. These are proper jobs of government, such as meat inspection, operating regulatory agencies, running public health services, and taking care of defneseless children.

Private prisons in America are largely a failure. They are crooked and indefensible. Private health care replacing public health services is a failure. Even de-regulation of banking, transportation and energy are now known to be costly failures that have worked terrible damage on Americans and the national infrastructure.

Answer 2

well, you run the risk of making it less than ethical. privatizing heathcare, in terms of insurance companies doling out money to those they want to is a good example. making money then becomes the primary objective, not helping people. someone may need a drug that happens to be very expensive (for aids or cancer for example) and insurance, even though you have it, won't pay for it. also, those who are lower risk (in terms of not paying premiums) will get money, and those who are higher risk won't get the treatment they need. we can't afford that kind of thought process when dealing with children. just because one child will be more effective in life due to circumstance or intelligence does not mean they should get more welfare. the child who is a "problem" will then be allowed to slip through the cracks more easily since there is very little monetary reason to help them out because they are more likely to end up in jail.

privatizing plugs money into the equation. when its a child's life that is at stake, i would never want money to dictate anything.

i'm not saying the system doesn't need to be fixed, it does, but i don't think privatizing is the answer we're looking for.

Answer 3

I think most people know that any government agency cannot operate anything well. Was it Reagan who said, "Hi, I'm from the government, I'm here to help you"! Of course he meant it as a joke and that people should be wary. Private schools have shown they are MUCH better than public (there are exceptions), private health is also much better than government run, sooooo, the answer is yes.

Answer 4

I think any change in the system would be a step in the right direction. It's busted and something needs to be done.
Probably won't ever happen, local governments get too much federal money from that program for them ever to let change for the better occur. Especially if it cuts federal money.

Answer 5

What "other" companies? A more effective option? How would that help slipping through the cracks?

Answer 6

well where you get the money,, people just need to be more responsible with thier children, or there are lots of people who will adopt them

Answer 7

i dont understand what do you mean PRIVATIZATION would you explain a little more