By Massachusetts News Staff 

December 1--After we published four stories about the DSS on the website of Massachusetts News from Tuesday, Nov. 2, to that Friday, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette also printed a story on that Friday. It told about a five-month-old boy who had "disappeared" last year from the foster home in Worcester where he lived with a felon who had previously been convicted of violent crimes.  

The paper wrote, "[F]ew see much hope that major improvements will be forthcoming in a child-welfare system described as overburdened, underfunded and resistant to alternatives." 

It quoted the head of the social workers association as saying that more money is needed. "The first thing we need to do is infuse more money into the system to pay foster parents more," said Carol M. Brill, Executive Director of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. But others disagreed, according to the paper. 

"Others, Rep. Parente included, scoff at the idea of pouring more money into a bureaucracy they maintain is already top-heavy. 

"‘A $500 million system and they can’t find a way to protect kids and they can’t find [the five-month-old boy]?’ Parente said. ‘Most of that is spent on the system, on outside vendors.’" 

No one questioned whether the "significant increase" that was reported by the DSS in the number of foster children during the 1990’s that has swamped the agency was because consultants were helping the DSS to increase its revenues by taking more children from their parents. 

Others told the Worcester paper about innovative steps in other states that are being taken to deal with these problems. 

The five-month-old boy’s disappearance from his foster home was reported to police on November 7, 1998, although it had occurred two days earlier. He had been living with Jose M. Castillo, his wife and two other foster children. After that, it was discovered that Castillo had a criminal record in Puerto Rico which included armed robbery and assault. Despite this incident, the Telegram & Gazette reports that DSS officials still do not check foster parents for criminal offenses outside of Massachusetts. Castillo is currently in jail awaiting trial on charges of sexually assaulting three young girls, including two foster children who stayed in his home.  

When asked about the failure of the DSS to check for criminal records outside of Massachusetts, Rep. Parente told the paper: 

"‘It’s outrageous. Shame on them,’ said Parente, accusing DSS officials of failing to take advantage of existing procedures. ‘No child should be given to any family that cannot prove they have a background without criminal acts.’" 

An ongoing search is being conducted for the body of the five-month-old boy. Authorities believe he may have been buried near the Wachusett Reservoir. 
 

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