Parents, advocates tell U.S. Commission forum North Carolina's child-welfare system disproportionately separates Black families

The North Carolina Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights heard hours of testimony at a June virtual forum in which parents, kin, and advocates described what they called systemic harms in the state's child-welfare system.

At the opening, Olga Morgan Wright, chair of the North Carolina advisory committee, said the forum is part of a study into the implementation of Rodelon's Law with a focus on outcomes of state intervention, racial and other disparities, effects on reunification rates, and areas for improvement. Wright reminded the public that written comments will be accepted through Sept. 23, 2024.

Speakers from around the state described repeated examples of removals, long separations, and what they characterized as procedural and evidentiary failures. Sarah Lee, a family-integrity advocate, told the committee: "We are facing massive amounts of civil rights violations" tied to a lack of transparency and accountability in how law changes and court rulings are applied at the local level. Several speakers alleged that courtrooms are increasingly closed to advocates and reporters, reducing outside oversight.

Multiple commenters cited draft legislation and reform efforts they said would prioritize adoption over reunification. One speaker warned that Senate Bill 625's language aligns with the Adoption and Safe Families Act by emphasizing permanence within a one-year timeframe and argued that change could shorten timelines that previously allowed more flexibility for reunification.

A cluster of witnesses discussed alleged procedural errors and privacy breaches. In one account, a speaker said a caseworker and detective entered her home, arrested her on medical-neglect allegations, then released her with conditions that temporarily barred contact with her children; she said the county never checked on their safety afterward. Another witness said DSS staff disclosed her contact information to an alleged abuser, which she said compromised safety.

Several speakers described long court battles and alleged paperwork problems. Britney Glover said she found judicial paperwork with missing signatures and future dates that call the adjudication into question. Amy Betts, founder of a North Carolina advocacy group for biological families, described ex parte orders and broad systemic problems she said allow abusive or coercive practices to persist.

Many witnesses emphasized racial disparities. Sheryl Smith of Durham cited state data she attributed to North Carolina FAST showing a majority of children in Durham foster care are Black and noted long average custody durations. James Campbell cited research claiming higher CPS-investigation exposure for Black children and broader adverse outcomes for children who spend time in foster care.

Speakers called for multiple remedies: expanded training for caseworkers on complex conditions such as reactive attachment disorder; stronger oversight and accountability for child-welfare agencies; creation of special prosecutors or investigative teams to review terminated parental-rights cases; and reversal or reopening of individual cases where kinship placements were not considered.

No formal actions or votes occurred at the forum. Committee staff said testimony and submitted written statements will inform a report to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a series of scheduled panel briefings in July and August.

The committee will accept written comments through Sept. 23, 2024, and the first follow-up briefing is scheduled for July 12 at noon Eastern time.