Authorizing Council's Special Committee on Child Separation in Philadelphia to hold public hearings regarding its final report of findings and recommendations.

WHEREAS, In 2017, data showed Philadelphia to have the highest rate of family separation of all major cities in the United States. Philadelphia removed children from homes at three times the rate of New York City, and four times that of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 190798 authorized the creation of a Special Committee on Child Separation to investigate root causes for Philadelphia’s disproportionately high rate of child removal, and to formulate policy recommendations to improve the local child welfare system; and

WHEREAS, The eleven-member Special Committee, chaired by Councilmembers David Oh and Cindy Bass, holds diverse backgrounds in law, government, public safety, and child welfare; and

WHEREAS, After collecting testimony from child welfare experts, relevant stakeholders, former DHS employees, and impacted families - and consulting academic and legal research - the Special Committee on Child Separation formulated a series of pointed recommendations for state and local policymakers; and

WHEREAS, These Special Committee’s recommendations have been compiled into a thorough final report detailing its work and process; and

WHEREAS, The Special Committee’s report is a blueprint for child safety and transparency, centered around the notion that family preservation and child safety are not opposites; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes Council’s Special Committee on Child Separation in Philadelphia to hold public hearings regarding its final report of findings and recommendations.

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