Survey shows need to reform state foster care system

UNF’s FLORIDA CENTER SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO REFORM STATE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM

JACKSONVILLE – The first state-wide poll by the Florida Center for Public Policy and Leadership has found strong support for reforming the state’s foster care system.

The survey, which was completed on June 20, surveyed 600 Florida residents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. It was completed by the Center’s newly organized Public Opinion Research Laboratory and employed 35 students at the University of North Florida as research assistants.

Dr. Adam Herbert, executive director of the Florida Center, said the poll is the first of several state-wide public opinion surveys that will be conducted each year to assess the reactions of Florida citizens to significant policy issues and challenges confronting the State of Florida.
The survey asked several questions relating to Rilya Wilson, the 5-year-old Miami foster child who disappeared while under the care of the state Department of Children and Families. More than 80 percent of the respondents said they were aware of the case.

When asked whether more taxpayer money should be used on the foster care system, 56 percent favored increased spending even if it means spending less money on other state priorities.

There was somewhat less consensus on who is most responsible for the problems in the case. Forty-one percent blamed the Department of Children and Families while 29 percent blamed the guardian of the child.

Nearly 60 percent of respondents said the problems facing the state’s foster care system are the result of poor management. Only 16 percent indicated the lack of money was the primary cause of problems in the system.

However, 69 percent of the residents polled either strongly or somewhat agreed that if the state spends more taxpayer money on the foster care system to help abused or neglected children, it would save money in the long run because these children would be less likely to become involved in crime and other problems that taxpayers would end up paying for.

The survey sample mirrored the state in terms of political parties. Of the respondents, 43 percent were Democrats, 39 percent were Republican and 13 percent were Independent or other party.
Dr. Matthew Corrigan, director of the Public Opinion Research Laboratory, said the findings suggest that Floridians are following the case of Rilya Wilson very closely. “The survey shows that citizens support giving more resources to the foster care system . The challenge for policymakers is to balance the need for reform in the foster care system with all the other state priorities that require attention,” he said.

Corrigan also noted that the study reveals that many citizens may not know foster parents - only 37 percent of respondents replied that they knew a foster parent. However, of those who knew foster parents, 79 percent viewed these foster parents favorably.
“It’s interesting that a third of the respondents said that they may be willing to become foster parents - a surprising finding since a shortage exists of qualified foster parents,” he said.

The complete survey results can be found on on the Center’s web page at www/unf.edu/thefloridacenter/ (Page works best with Internet Explorer)