Data makes it clear that the number of Louisiana children in foster care is increasing. Louisiana does not have enough foster homes available to handle…
Posts published by “Rick Wheat”
Rick Wheat serves as CEO of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services. His lifelong interest is to understand and improve services for children, child welfare systems, child well-being, and the impact of state systems on the lives of children and their families.
Louisiana’s Office of Children’s Ombudsman is a missing piece of child well-being infrastructure. I believe the concept of “Child Well-Being Infrastructure” is essential. I think…
Children’s Ombuds are independent public officials responsible for protecting children’s rights in their interactions with state agencies by hearing complaints, helping resolve legitimate complaints, and…
Parents use Ombudsman services for children. Parents are more likely to communicate their concerns to a State Ombuds for Children than to the employees of…
The Louisiana Legislature is Active on Children’s Bills, but Louisiana Ranks Poorly on Child Well-being. Would an Office of Children’s Ombudsman Help? Louisiana’s Legislature is…
A Children’s Ombud is a state employee who acts as “an independent, impartial public official with authority and responsibility to receive, investigate or informally address…
It is always best that state legislatures are never surprised when systemic failures harm their state’s children. States must have mechanisms to keep the Legislature…
“Ombuds” is an odd-sounding word, especially in Louisiana. Find out what it means in these FAQs about Children’s Ombuds. Louisiana does not provide Ombuds for…
Have you read the latest Louisiana Child Ombuds Report or seen the current report of the Louisiana Foster Care Ombudsman? No. No, you have not.…
Recently, Andrea Gallo, writing for The Advocate, asked a most important question about Louisiana’s Child Welfare System: Louisiana is flush with cash. Why is child…