Listen to thisHere’s something to know about journalists at The Arizona Republic: There are some issues we just won’t – just can’t – let go. Especially the neglect and abuse of kids in Arizona. We've been covering this topic for decades. And the heartbreaking stories continue.
Columnist Karina Bland is haunted by the kids who wait, because when you’re a foster child, everything takes so long. “No one can make a decision,” she told me. “ 'Oh, we’ll get to it next legislative session. Oh, we’ll postpone that court date.' … That’s all summer, or a semester, or the difference between a baby and a toddler. It’s not remembering what your mom looks like … It’s front teeth falling out and growing back in."
As of June 30, Arizona had more than 18,000 kids in state care, children who have been taken from their homes for reports of neglect or abuse, according to the state. That’s an increase of 28 percent in three years. At the same time, child-welfare caseworkers battle burnout and massive caseloads.
That’s why, today, I’m thrilled to announce the Arizona Community Foundation has given The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com a three-year grant to support in-depth investigative reporting about child welfare in Arizona. We’ll examine the reasons for the surge, the systems meant to support and protect these children. And, we’ll look for solutions.
Foundation funding for journalism feels new, but it’s not without precedent, and we believe it holds great promise. The Arizona Community Foundation grant will enable a deeper look than we’ve ever been able to take before, by supporting extra reporting time and resources and multimedia storytelling to explore the problems in new ways.
Our journalism remains independent, as you’ve always expected from The Republic.
“The Arizona Community Foundation has made significant investments in foster youth care and education over the past several years, from bringing FosterEd: Arizona to our state to commissioning original research on the educational achievement gap among foster youth,” said Jacky Alling, the Arizona Community Foundation's chief philanthropy officer. “This project adds another component to our ongoing investment in these young people, who deserve our commitment to their well-being and futures. We believe strongly in the power of quality journalism to shine a light on critically important topics and are proud to partner with The Arizona Republic on this work.”
Reporter Mary Jo Pitzl says, “We want to give the public an understanding of why more than 18,000 Arizona kids are in state care, how they got there, and what it will take to reduce those numbers.” She covers state agencies and has written extensively about the state Department of Child Safety as well as Child Protective Services, the agency that preceded it. “From my coverage, I’ve learned these cases are rarely black and white. There is a lot of nuance," she told me. "Family situations are sticky.”
We know abuse and neglect can change a child’s life forever. Childhood trauma can alter brain development and, research shows, can lead to depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship issues and suicidal behavior.
We know abuse and neglect can change a child’s life forever. Childhood trauma can alter brain development and, research shows, can lead to depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship issues and suicidal behavior.
Child welfare isn’t just about childhood – it lasts a lifetime.
By Nicole Carroll
28 August 2016
