Colorado judge’s censure confirms racial bias in our child protection system
Opinion piece published in the Colorado Sun, May 25, 2021
For the past year, parents and family members complained that a judge in Arapahoe County was biased against them because they were Black. I know this because they complained to my…
Check on the Children: A Message from Children’s Ombudsman in the Time of COVID-19
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In the time of stay-home orders and closed schools, children are walking a tightrope without a safety net. They are more at risk than ever before for abuse and neglect. The network of public services like schools, after school programs, and health care providers that weaves together a safety net for children is significantly altered, leaving children out of view and potentially in distress. Public sector ombudsman professionals around the country now call upon communities, neighbors, delivery persons and anyone with the opportunity, to check-in on children.
Avoiding the gulf: How “social distancing” has the potential to separate families more than six feet
As the United States and other countries around the world race to delay the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Coloradans, like millions of others around the globe, have been required to engage in a relatively new practice called “social distancing.”
One must look no further than social media — where the hashtag, #StayAtHome, has been featured in millions of Facebook posts, tweets and Instagram messages. Everywhere we look there are reminders – even pleas – to stay home, stop the spread of COVID-19 and stay healthy. In a matter of weeks, our culture has shifted. We’ve acknowledged that separating from others – family, friends, support networks – is no longer a courtesy, but rather a life or death decision. We’ve been asked to make “social distancing” a part of our lives.
An Open Letter to Child Protection and Human Services Staff Everywhere
Thank you for coming to work today. Like many of us, you woke up this week and saw a tragedy unfolding. The world as we know it altered – off course – leaving thousands of people without basic food, shelter, and health care. Like many of us you were scared. But you showed up anyway to care for Colorado’s children and families during this time of crisis.
You don’t know me, but you may have heard of my office. Every day the Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman bears witness to your work.
