In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to create an independent Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman in Pennsylvania. This reform is long overdue, and it strikes at the very heart of how we ensure accountability and transparency in protecting our most vulnerable citizens—our children.
 
Currently, complaints about child welfare agencies are handled by the Department of Human Services (DHS) itself, through its Office of Children, Youth, and Families. While DHS plays a critical role in licensing and regulating county agencies, it is fundamentally flawed to expect the same agency that manages, funds, and directs child welfare services to also investigate complaints against itself. This is a textbook conflict of interest. Families deserve better.
 
Pennsylvania’s children and families need an independent watchdog—a body that can hear complaints, investigate them thoroughly, and shine light on systemic failures without being compromised by internal pressures or divided loyalties. An Ombudsman office would not be another layer of bureaucracy; it would be a trusted advocate, an impartial referee, and a safeguard to ensure that no child falls through the cracks because of agency neglect, mismanagement, or abuse.
 
Other states have successfully adopted the ombudsman model, and the results are clear. Independent child advocates give families confidence that their voices are heard. They bring transparency by issuing public reports. They make systemic recommendations to legislatures and governors. Most importantly, they build trust by being independent of the agencies they oversee. That independence is what gives their work credibility.
 
This legislation will create an independent Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman, empowered to:
• Receive and investigate complaints from children, families, and providers.
• Access records and facilities necessary to conduct impartial investigations.
• Publish findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the public.
• Serve as a voice for children and families in improving Pennsylvania’s child welfare system.
 
Our children deserve a system that is accountable not only to itself, but to the people it serves. An Ombudsman will ensure that when complaints arise, they are investigated fairly, transparently, and without bias. It will restore public trust in child welfare oversight and ensure that accountability is more than just a promise on paper.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this critical legislation to create a truly independent oversight office for Pennsylvania’s children and families.