News from Franklin County Children Services

The final days of 2023 naturally lead to reflecting on actions and achievements over the last twelve months and thinking about challenges and opportunities ahead in 2024. The members of the Franklin County Children Services team - in their daily work to protect children and strengthen families - have adjusted the agency’s strategies to confront the new post-pandemic challenges faced in nearly every aspect of serving children, families, and the community.  And together, Team FCCS has much to be proud of. Below are some highlights of the past year to demonstrate just how the dedicated members of this agency are truly serving Franklin County: Protecting the Whole Child As of the end of October, our agency received more than 23,000 referrals to our Child Abuse Hotline and reporting portal, including 13% of those calls related to domestic violence events within a family. During that same time frame, our team undertook roughly 9,500 investigations based on those screened-in referrals. Of the

Trying to turn the tide on a national workforce crisis in child welfare, Franklin County Children Services led an ambitious recruiting effort in 2023 and added more than 165 new employees to our Team FCCS. “It was really an all-hands-on deck type situation that we all pitched in to help solve the hiring crisis,” said Maree Whitlow, FCCS director of Human Resources, whose team led a hiring strategy that she believes gave the agency an edge despite national challenges. The pandemic set off an unprecedented churn in the entire labor market, with peaks in the “Great Resignation” in late 2021 and 2022 when many workers quit their jobs because of perceived low pay, no opportunities for advancement, or feelings of disrespect. Add to that, national studies showed that almost half of child welfare staff leave their jobs within two years, and schools of Social Work are reporting drops in enrollment, which means the pipeline for future child welfare workers is also shrinking. To meet this recruit

  Books are gifts children can open again and again. Our friends at Gramercy Books Bexley have generously collected more than 400 donated books for Holiday Wish, bringing the joy of reading to young people in our care. We’re proud to share the story of their Book Angel program.

Joining in our commitment in Franklin County Children Services to promoting inclusion and belonging, hundreds of Central Ohio donors have helped children in the agency’s care receive holiday gifts that honor their culture, celebrate their identities, and offer learning opportunities. The annual Black Girl Magic Gift Drive and the inaugural Black Boy Brilliance brought out the crowds this December, with hundreds of holiday gifts that celebrate the uniqueness of Black and Brown boys and girls through the agency’s Holiday Wish Program. The joys of a child holding a doll or action figure that looks like them, reading a book that stimulates their imagination, and being enthralled by an activity that opens their eyes to the world around them are unmatched.  “I am grateful to be part of a community that prioritizes Black girls,” said our Malaika Mentor Program Director Tonia Still. “It was the presence and partnership of our community that made our 2023 Black Girl Magic event a success!” A tr

When young people can no longer stay with a parent, it’s still critically important to help kids maintain connections to their loved ones. And over the past year, Franklin County Children Services has coordinated thousands of safe visits to connect children and separated parents - and used the time that families are together to connect them with additional support.  Regularly-scheduled family visitation is an opportunity for children who are in out-of-home care and their parents to spend quality time together, with the ultimate goal of family reunification.  In 2023, FCCS has coordinated more than 6,000 of these family visits over the course of the year. LaTisha Sterling is one of 34 FCCS social service aides (SSA) who helped facilitate these meaningful family gatherings. “My passion is helping people… being an advocate for the people we serve,” says Sterling, who works primarily out of FCCS’s West Region office on Frank Road.  With both a bachelor’s and a master’s degrees in social wo

Adding another layer to the strategies designed to keep Franklin County Children Services staff and visitors to FCCS buildings protected and safe - and championing a new “Safer Together” approach to security - the agency has welcomed its first official Director of Safety and Security. Robert Collins joined the FCCS Team in mid-November with more than 30 years of private and public safety, security, and emergency management experience. And he’s already been busy. “It will take all of us to keep the agency safe and each other safe,” Mr. Collins shared. “This position will be the lead on enhancing, implementing, and overseeing our comprehensive safety and security efforts,” according to FCCS Executive Director Chip Spinning. “We want Robert to be the point-person in security-related discussions, for emergency and crisis planning, and as a liaison between FCCS and local first responders.” Mr. Collins will also chair the agency’s Safety Committee and is in the process of meeting FCCS staff

For more than 60 years, the Central Ohio community has been granting the wishes of children served by Franklin County Children Services through our Holiday Wish Program. But there would be no wishes to grant without the work of our loyal “elves” who come back each year to keep the program organized and running. Led by Head Elf Frieda McKarn, the temporary staff of five marched into the agency in mid-October to begin the process of collecting and matching wish lists, arranging pickups, sorting toys, and labeling gift tags. The work isn’t done until mid-January after they’ve helped put smiles on the faces of thousands of children in FCCS care.  Ms. McKarn retired after working with Children Services for more than 38 years, most recently as a kinship supervisor. She returned soon after, recalling the joy on the faces of families when children received gifts from Holiday Wish. She’s been with the program for eight years. Paula Kuzelka, who worked in the FCCS Fiscal Department for 33 years,

  “Just as we know that strong families are the first foundation to protecting children, we also know that families do better when they live in communities that are committed to helping them succeed.” These words from Franklin County Children Service Executive Director Chip Spinning perfectly set the stage for this year’s National Family Week Celebration hosted by our partners at St. Stephen’s Community House. The annual event brings together St. Stephen’s, Gladden, and Central Community Houses to join FCCS in recognizing families who participated in the Family-to-Family (F2F) program and used the supportive services offered to overcome obstacles and achieve success. In cooperation with the local settlement, F2F links families with community partners and service organizations to provide material and employment assistance, counseling, training, and much-needed supports. If successful, families are empowered to stay out of the child welfare system - which means children remain in safe, s