Ombudsman says department practice improving but flags gaps in responses to chronic truancy

Christine Alberry, Maine's child welfare ombudsman, presented the 2025 annual report to the committee and said case‑specific reviews showed a reversal of prior declines in practice: "for the first time since 2020, this year's case specific reviews indicate that the department has halted a years long decline in practice and instead has shown practice improvement." She added that progress is incremental and that staffing, training and service‑gaps remain.

Alberry devoted a substantial portion of the report to educational neglect, saying the department historically has struggled to respond effectively to chronic truancy and long‑term school absences. She described the statutory and policy framework and a case where multiple truancy reports were screened out in 2023–24 before a later investigation substantiated neglect after children's absences exceeded 70 days and other evidence of household danger emerged; in that case the children later entered custody and disclosed physical abuse.

Alberry urged clearer intake and screening practices where truancy may be a marker for other serious household risks, and recommended policy and practice changes to ensure timely investigation and follow up. She said the ombudsman's office will publish summaries and recommendations in the annual report and is available to discuss statutory and practice clarifications with the department.

Committee members and the director of OCFS discussed distinctions between truancy, educational neglect and cases driven by medical or logistical issues; both the ombudsman and OCFS said they are studying national models and planning further work to clarify roles and practices.