Frontline DCFS workers describe long hours, traumatic calls and the need for staffing support
County investigators and supervisors told the Senate committee about on-call demands, dangerous field conditions, placement shortages for children with complex needs, and examples where staff helped reunify families after long involvement.
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Frontline DCFS workers told lawmakers about the strains of casework and why recruitment and retention matter for child safety. Ashley Ryan, an investigator in Conway County, described long on-call shifts and the emotional toll of removals, saying she once "had to sleep on 3 chairs in a hospital for, you know, from midnight to 09:00 because a child went acute." She said building rapport with parents can lead to successful reunification.
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