Policy update by Iowa Forum for Children and Families, Fall 2000

The tragic case of Shelby Duis has brought the states child protective service (CPS) system into broad public attention Most 1rnportantly Iowa citizens are seeking solutions that will prevent other tragedies from occurring According to national estimates. each year 1,200 children in the United States die at the hands of their parents In Iowa. the number of such child deaths was 10 in 1998 (It is already 9 so far in 2000) Not all these children are known to the formal child protection system. Sadly, despite society is best efforts. 1t's not possible to guarantee that no child ever will occur at the child's parents' hands Still, there are many actions that can be taken to reduce the chances that tragedies will occur Some involve changes to the child protective serv1Ce system itself - to the ways in which reports of child abuse and neglect are made and action taken