When the Village Fails

Assessing the Effectiveness of Child Protective Services (CPS) Interventions in the United States

Abstract

The names of children in cases from the Child Protective Services (CPS) in the United States, that suffered following CPS intervention are too close to home. In the case of Gabriel Fernandez and Sophia Mason, CPS interventions were marred by systematic failures– negligence, resource shortages, and agency workers who turned a blind eye to abuse and neglect, failing to fulfill their duty to protect children. Drawing on statistical data and case studies, this paper argues that CPS failures, while a result of individual neglect, are tied to a bigger problem in the United States– a flawed child welfare and criminal justice system. This paper advocates for increased federal and state funding, workforce development, advanced data analytics, and community-based interventions. These measures are necessary to protect the safety and well-being of every child in the child welfare system.