Social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic has forced states to rethink t...
WASHINGTON - Social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic has forced states to rethink their approach to social work, whether by finding safe strategies for staff to check on at-risk children in their homes or resorting to virtual visits.
The changes are not always coming fast enough. An Oregon caseworker who spoke on condition of anonymity said she visited a foster child in her care on Monday to discover that the girl was coughing and had been ill. The social worker asked the girl to step outside of the house and stayed the recommended 6 feet away from her while they spoke.
This is a critical time for at-risk children, welfare advocates and experts said. The wave of school closings across the United States means that many families are spending far more time cooped up together at home than they are accustomed to. Calls and text messages to Childhelp, which runs a 24-hour child abuse hotline, are up about 10% through the first 18 days of March compared with the comparable period in February, the group said.
School closings also mean teachers and guidance counselors, who are obligated by law to report suspected abuse, are not in daily contact with children. FILE PHOTO: Children enter P.S. 042 Benjamin Altman school pick up school provided take out lunches, after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered schools closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, in New York City, New York, U.S., March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo
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