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Good morning:
In recent years, Maine has removed children from their homes at a higher rate than nearly every other state. While the foster care population fell nationally between 2018 and 2022, it rose nearly 40 percent in Maine, reaching a two-decade high last year.
The state has also seen several tragic deaths of children known to state authorities, and there has been much discussion among officials and lawmakers on whether the system is able to protect one of our most vulnerable populations, and how it might do better.
There is also, however, a growing national consensus that placing children in foster care can often cause more long-term harm than alleged maltreatment at home.
This week, Government Accountability Reporter Josh Keefe looks at the changing conversation around child welfare in Maine, with some raising concerns that the state's broad definition of neglect is resulting in children being removed from their homes simply because their families are poor.
And some exciting news: on Friday, The Monitor announced a new collaboration with the Bangor Daily News that will strengthen local journalism throughout the state.
The partnership will include a coordinated investigative team and a shared Report for America Corps Member. It will not change our mission or focus, but will allow us to expand this vital work and cover more beats (including a new religion, politics and society beat and a local government and politics beat, with support from Report for America).
All of the work produced via this partnership will be free to read, in keeping with The Monitor's mission. You can read more about the initiative here.
— Kate |
