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Alison Graham
Reporter
Reporter at the Roanoke Times covering local government, education, business and crime.
Articles
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The Virginia Department of Social Services has seen a 50% drop in calls to the child abuse and neglect hotline since mid-March, but social workers are concerned that an increase in domestic violence and child abuse may be going unreported.
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Topics
The Office of the Children’s Ombudsman will investigate complaints concerning the Virginia Department of Social Services and will have a heavy focus on foster care and child-placing decisions.
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Because Virginia operates a decentralized social services system, employees at the local level are rarely held accountable for the life-changing decisions they make for Virginia’s families.
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Ron Scearce was the newest member of the Pittsylvania County Department of Social Services board when he strolled through the office handing out business cards in August 2017.
Roanoke Times reporter Alison Graham provides some insight into the DSS Under Strain series, and shares what's in store for the second part of the series.
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Charlee Marie Faith Ford came into the world struggling to live. After an emergency C-section at 37 weeks, her lungs failed for nine minutes before doctors revived her.
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Parents who have had their children removed, employees who are treated unfairly or relatives who have been unable to gain custody of their family members are left behind in a system with no oversight.