7 Philadelphia child welfare workers fired for false reports

Pennsylvania officials say several Philadelphia child welfare workers have been fired in connection with false reports about home visits.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services says seven workers were fired in February and March in connection with two false reports. Three workers were from community-based agencies contracted by the city to handle cases. Four were from subcontracted foster care agencies.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports a state DHS official on Friday said that child welfare workers in the city had falsified reports due to high case loads. The comments came during a meeting of the board that oversees Philadelphia’s child welfare system.

The state has asked DHS to review the fired workers’ caseload information and assess the safety of the children and families assigned to them.