Child Abuse

“The subcommittee identified issues like inadequate case assessments and families declining services, leading to case closures,” a state report states.

A GOP-sponsored bill would eliminate the formal process for 14- and 15-year-olds to work and only require a signed permission slip.

The Illinois House also passed measures providing climate change-related professional development for teachers if funding is allocated; expanding pregnancy-related care, as well as adding transparency and reporting measures to prisoner medical release hearings.

A group is demanding Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey begin investigating facilities accused of abuse, like Agape School in Stockton, Circle of Hope Ranch in Humansville and Kanakuk Kamps in Branson. The group is also advocating to extend the statute of limitations.

In a unanimous ruling, Illinois' highest court found the residency restriction “does not infringe upon a child sex offender’s fundamental rights” and that there was a “rational basis” for restrictions where a person convicted of such a crime can live.

An Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigator receives a starting salary as high as $72,000, compared to just $43,000 for an equivalent position in Missouri.

Despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling the practice unconstitutional, Missouri State Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, proposed legislation that would allow the death penalty in non-homicide cases.

Some lawmakers remain worried that low salaries could make retaining child abuse investigators difficult.

The starting salary for an child abuse investigator is around $43,000 a year.

In a progress report compiled by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for fiscal year 2023, the agency noted “unprecedented staff turnover impacts the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and consistency of ongoing assessments of risk and safety.”