KCCI Investigates: 5 takeaways from the report on the child welfare system task force – KCCI

Report on the Iowa Child Welfare System Task Force and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

An investigation into the Iowa child welfare system reveals significant challenges in meeting commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning child protection, institutional accountability, and public health. This report analyzes the status and efficacy of a state-mandated task force created following the tragic deaths of two teenagers, Sabrina Ray and Natalie Finn, from starvation and abuse while in adoptive care. The state’s subsequent inaction on the task force’s mission undermines progress toward several key SDGs.

Systemic Failures in Child Protection: A Violation of SDG 3 and SDG 16

The deaths of Natalie Finn (2016) and Sabrina Ray (2017) highlight critical failures within the state’s child protection framework. These cases represent a severe breach of the state’s responsibility to ensure the well-being of vulnerable children, a core tenet of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Case Studies in Institutional Negligence

• Natalie Finn, age 16: Died weighing 66 pounds after being starved by her adoptive parents. Her sister, Makayla Finn, survived and reported that Natalie sacrificed her own food to save her siblings.
• Sabrina Ray, age 16: Died weighing 56 pounds. She was found malnourished and abused in a locked room. Her two younger sisters were also found to be malnourished.
• In both cases, the adoptive parents responsible are serving life sentences in prison.

Institutional Accountability and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

An independent review by the Iowa Office of Ombudsman in 2020 exposed deep-rooted institutional flaws within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), directly contravening the principles of SDG 16.2 (end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children) and SDG 16.6 (develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions).

Key failures identified by the Ombudsman include:

• A lack of formal internal investigation by HHS into the deaths.
• Failure to maintain historical records of abuse reports, which prevented caseworkers from recognizing clear patterns of escalating abuse over several years.
• The rejection of numerous child abuse reports prior to the deaths, including one from Natalie Finn’s school principal regarding her emaciated appearance.
• Poor communication between child welfare workers, which weakened oversight and response capabilities.

The Child Welfare Task Force: A Stagnated Initiative for Reform

As part of a $10 million settlement with Sabrina Ray’s surviving sisters, the state was required to convene a task force to recommend improvements to the foster care system. This initiative was a direct opportunity to strengthen institutional frameworks in line with SDG 16.

Mandate and Objectives

The task force was officially formed by December 31, 2023, with a clear mandate: “to review implementation of the Ombudsman’s Report dated September 8, 2020, and to make recommendations to improve foster care in Iowa.” This objective was intended to create a more just, effective, and accountable child welfare system.

Stagnation and Lack of Progress

Despite its critical mission, the task force has become inactive, indicating a lack of sustained commitment from state leadership to address systemic failures. An investigation revealed the following:

1. The task force met only three times (Dec. 5, 2023; Feb. 16, 2024; and Feb. 23, 2024) and has not convened in nearly two years.
2. The state confirmed there are no future meetings scheduled for the task force.
3. An open records request yielded minimal documentation, with task force members confirming a lack of formal minutes or records.
4. Task force members expressed deep frustration with the lack of follow-through, stating they feel the state was merely “placating” them to fulfill a legal requirement rather than engaging in meaningful reform.
5. Requests for interviews with the HHS Director, the Governor’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office were declined.

Recommendations for Aligning with SDG Targets

Task force members have outlined several recommendations aimed at preventing future tragedies and building a system that aligns with global standards for child welfare and institutional integrity.

Enhancing Institutional Capacity (SDG 16.6)

To build a more effective and accountable institution, task force members advocate for:

• Improved Training: Mandatory, thorough training for all social and child protective workers on identifying the physical and behavioral symptoms of malnutrition. HHS reports this has been added for new employees, but ongoing, advanced training is needed. This directly supports SDG 3.
• Systematic Internal Reviews: Implementing proactive and regular internal reviews of child welfare cases to identify and rectify issues before they escalate.
• Enhanced Data and Record-Keeping: Modernizing data tracking systems to ensure accurate recording of events and to enable the identification of patterns of abuse across different reports and timelines.

Strengthening Justice and Response Mechanisms (SDG 16.2 & 16.3)

To ensure justice and reduce violence against children, the task force proposed:

• Multi-Disciplinary Response Teams: The creation of specialized teams, including a police officer, a medical professional, and a county attorney, to respond to specific and severe abuse cases. This ensures a comprehensive, expert-led investigation from the outset, which is critical for achieving justice for victims (SDG 16.3).

Conclusion: Urgent Need for State Action to Uphold Child Welfare and Global Goals

The state of Iowa’s failure to sustain the Child Welfare Task Force represents a significant missed opportunity to reform a broken system and align its practices with the Sustainable Development Goals. The lack of action dishonors the memory of Sabrina Ray and Natalie Finn and leaves other vulnerable children at risk. Achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) requires a renewed and transparent commitment from state leadership to implement systemic changes that prioritize the safety and well-being of every child in its care.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article directly addresses the health and well-being of children within the foster care system. The central events are the starvation deaths of Natalie Finn and Sabrina Ray, who weighed only 66 and 56 pounds, respectively. This highlights a catastrophic failure to ensure the basic health and survival of vulnerable children.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is central to the article’s focus on institutional failure. The investigation reveals that the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a state institution, failed to protect children from abuse and torture. The article details the “lack of internal investigation by DHS,” its failure to keep records which would have shown a “pattern of abuse,” and the stagnation of a task force created to recommend systemic improvements. This points to a lack of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.

    Although the victims were 16, this target’s principle of ending all preventable child deaths is directly relevant. The deaths of Sabrina Ray and Natalie Finn from starvation were entirely preventable had the child welfare system functioned properly. The article’s purpose is to highlight these preventable deaths to spur action “to prevent” future tragedies.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

    This is the most direct target addressed. The article describes horrific abuse: “starved to death at the hands of their adoptive parents,” “malnourished,” and “torturing the girls.” The entire narrative is about the failure to stop extreme violence and torture against children.

  • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

    The article is a critique of institutional effectiveness and accountability. The Ombudsman’s report found “many failures,” including DHS rejecting 8 out of 10 child abuse reports for the Finn children and a “policy of not keeping records.” Furthermore, the state’s “lack of follow through with the task force,” which has not met in almost two years, demonstrates a failure to build accountable institutions that respond to systemic problems.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for Target 16.2 (End abuse… of children)

  • Proportion of child abuse reports investigated: The article implies this is a key metric by stating that of ten reports filed for the Finn children, “eight were rejected.” An indicator of progress would be a higher proportion of reports being thoroughly investigated rather than rejected.
  • Number of child deaths due to abuse and neglect: The article is predicated on the deaths of two children. The ultimate measure of success for the child welfare system, as stated by a task force member, is to prevent such deaths: “it usually results in the death of a child, and that’s what we want to prevent.”

• Indicators for Target 16.6 (Develop effective, accountable institutions)

  • Existence and completeness of case records: The article explicitly identifies poor record-keeping as a major failure, noting that “DHS did not keep the records” and this “made it fail to recognize a pattern of abuse.” An indicator would be the implementation of a robust and accessible data tracking and record-keeping system.
  • Implementation of training programs for child welfare workers: The need for better training is a key recommendation. The article mentions that “HHS says that since 2018, it started training on malnourishment for all social workers.” The scope, frequency, and effectiveness of such training could serve as an indicator.
  • Functioning of oversight and reform bodies: The status of the task force is a central issue. An indicator of institutional responsiveness is whether the task force meets regularly and if its recommendations are implemented. The article notes, “state leaders have not met with the task force in almost two years,” indicating a negative performance on this metric.
  • Execution of regular internal reviews: The article questions “if HHS is conducting regular internal reviews of cases,” implying that the frequency and thoroughness of such reviews are a measure of institutional accountability.

SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: kcci.com