The federal government's dereliction allows states to fall short on meeting minimum child welfare standards. Below is information specific to Delaware.

CFSR Results Summary: In its Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process, HHS determines whether each state is in substantial conformity with 7 specific outcomes (pertaining to the areas of safety, permanency and family and child well-being) and 7 systemic factors (relating to the quality of services delivered to children and families and the outcomes they experience).  In the first two rounds of the CFSR, HHS has concluded that Delaware was:

Round 1 (2001)

• NOT in substantial conformity with 6 of the 7 Outcomes
• in substantial conformity with 7 of the 7 Systemic Factors

Round 2 (2007)   

• NOT in substantial conformity with 7 of the 7 Outcomes
• NOT in substantial conformity with 2 of the 7 Systemic Factors

Although federal law mandates that any state found not to be operating in substantial conformity during an initial or subsequent review must begin a full review within two years after approval of the state's program improvement plan, HHS has announced that Delaware will not undergo Round 3 of the CFSR until FY 2015 (see CFSR Technical Bulletin #7 (March 2014)).

Documents from the U.S. Health & Human Services Children's Bureau

• Child and Family Services Review Reports and Results
  
  
  • Delaware Performance Improvement Plan, 2007 (Round 2)
  • Final Report: Delaware Child and Family Services Review, 2007 (Round 2)
  • Delaware Performance Improvement Plan, 2004 (Round 1)
  • Final Report: Delaware Child and Family Services Review, 2001 (Round 1)
• Title IV-E State Reports and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs)
  
  
  • Initial Primary (FY 2003)
  • Primary Review (FY 2006)
  • PIP
  • Secondary Review (FY 2009)
  • Subsequent Primary Review (FY 2012)
• Other Documents / Reports
  
  
  • Delaware AFCARS Assessment Review (2002)
  • Delaware section from HHS' Child Welfare Outcomes, 2009-2012, Report to Congress

Child Welfare In the News*

• Inaction before girl's killing baffles child advocates (Includes video) (Delaware Online - November 12, 2014) Child advocates in Delaware said they are baffled and saddened by the state's decision to leave 4-year-old Autumn Milligan with her troubled mother, who was investigated four times by child-protection officials and now is charged with killing the girl.
• Delaware Revamps Family Services (Governing - November 11, 2014) Delaware is headed into year three of a major push to overhaul how it delivers children and family services, an initiative strongly supported by Gov. Jack Markell and ably directed by Vicky Kelly, the director of the Delaware Division of Family Services. The theme of the overall reform is family engagement, including a strong push on structured decision-making.
  
• State Investigated Slain Del. Girl's Mom 4 Times (Asssociated Press - November 10, 2014) Child protection officials in Delaware closed four separate investigations into a mother now charged in the beating death of her 4-year-old daughter, closing all of them after ruling that repeated complaints of abuse and neglect were unsubstantiated.
  

*news summaries taken from daily newsfeed service of HHS' Child Welfare Information Gateway