REPORT DIGEST

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES

COMPLIANCE EXAMINATION
FOR THE TWO YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2024

Release Date:  July 29, 2025

FINDINGS THIS AUDIT: 34

CATEGORY:  NEW -- REPEAT – TOTAL
Category 1:  0 -- 12 -- 12
Category 2:  5 -- 17 -- 22
Category 3:  0 -- 0 -- 0
TOTAL:  5 -- 29 -- 34

FINDINGS LAST AUDIT: 33

State of Illinois, Office of the Auditor
General
FRANK J. MAUTINO, AUDITOR GENERAL

To obtain a copy of the Report contact:
Office of the Auditor General, 400 West
Monroe, Suite 306, Springfield, IL
62704-9849
(217) 782-6046 or TTY (888) 261-2887

This Report Digest and Full Report are also
available on the worldwide web at
www.auditor.illinois.gov

SYNOPSIS

• (24-04) The Department of Children and
Family Services (Department) failed to
comply with several sections of the Abused
and Neglected Child Reporting Act during the
examination period.

• (24-05) The Department did not comply with
the Children and Family Services Act.

• (24-08) The Department did not timely
initiate investigations of child abuse and
neglect within 24 hours of receipt of the
report as required by the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act.

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE ABUSED AND NEGLECTED
CHILD REPORTING ACT

The Department of Children and Family
Services (Department) failed to comply with
several sections of the Abused and Neglected
Child Reporting Act (Act) (325 ILCS 5)
during the examination period.

We tested several sections of the Act and
noted the following exceptions:

• The Department did not communicate to the
State’s attorneys’ offices for 12 of 40
(30%) reports of child abuse and neglect for
infants exposed to controlled substances
tested. Additionally, the Department did not
immediately communicate the investigation
reports to the State’s attorneys’ offices
for 3 of 40 (8%) reports tested.
Specifically, we noted the State’s
attorneys’ offices were notified between 107
to 114 days from report date.

• The Department notified the Director of
DPH and HFS of the report of suspected abuse
or neglect of a child alleged to have been
abused or neglected while receiving care in
a hospital 34 days to 8,122 days from the
investigation date for 4 of 30 (13%) reports
tested.

• The Department was required to file four
reports during the examination period. The
results of our testing indicated the
Department failed to timely file one (25%)
of the reports required. Specifically, we
noted the report due on December 1, 2022,
was submitted to the General Assembly one
day late.

• During testing of 40 indicated reports, we
noted the Department did not notify the
child’s school for one (3%) completed
investigation. Additionally, the Department
did not timely notify the children’s school
for 33 (83%) completed investigations.
Specifically, we noted the schools were
notified 3 to 848 days late.

• During testing of 40 reports, we noted the
following:
– The Department did not timely notify local
enforcement personnel and office of the
State’s attorney of the involved county for
17 (43%) reports tested. Specifically, we
noted the local enforcement personnel, and
the office of the State’s attorney were
notified 4 to 270 days late.
– The Department did not notify the local
enforcement and the office of the State’s
attorney of the involved county for 5 (13%)
reports tested.

• During testing of 40 reports, we noted for
10 (25%) reports tested, the Department did
not notify the President of the Senate, the
Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, the
Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives and the members of the
Senate and House of Representatives in whose
district the child’s death or serious life-
threatening injury occurred upon the
completion of the report. Additionally, the
Department did not provide timely
notification upon the completion of one (3%)
report. The notification was submitted 43
days after the 6 months’ timeframe. (Finding
4, pages 25-30). This finding has been
reported since 2012.

We recommended the Department perform the
following:

• Immediately refer all reports of child
abuse and neglect for a newborn infant whose
blood, urine, or meconium contains any
amount of a controlled substance to the
appropriate State’s attorney’s office and to
update procedures and provide training to
staff to accomplish compliance with the Act.
• Notify the Director of DPH and HFS within
a reasonable timeframe, when the Department
receives a report of suspected abuse or
neglect of a child, and the child is alleged
to have been abused or neglected while
receiving care in a hospital.
• Ensure the timely submission of all
reports required by the Act to the General
Assembly.
• Strengthen its monitoring procedures for
investigators to ensure they notify and
provide copy of its final findings from an
indicated report of child abuse and neglect
related to the child’s school within 10 days
of completing an investigation of alleged
physical or sexual abuse of a student under
the Act.
• Ensure local law enforcement personnel and
the office of the State’s attorney of the
involved county of the receipt of any report
alleging the death of a child or serious
injury to a child are timely notified.
• Ensure the timely notification of all
reports completed required by the Act to the
President of the Senate, the Minority Leader
of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives and the members of
the Senate and House of Representatives in
whose district the child’s death or serious
life-threatening injury occurred.

The Department agreed with the
recommendation. Please see the full State
Compliance Examination Report for further
details of the Department’s response for
each of the bullet points noted above.

NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES ACT

The Department of Children and Family
Services (Department) did not comply with
the Children and Family Services Act (Act)
(20 ILCS 505).

We tested several sections of the Act and
noted the following exceptions:

• During our testing of 40 participants, we
noted the following
– For four (10%) participants tested, the
Department was unable to provide a copy of
the written safety plan.
– For 13 (33%) participants tested, the
safety plans were not reviewed and approved
by the child protection supervisor.
– For two (5%) participants tested, the
Department was unable to provide
documentation supporting it had provided the
parent, guardian, or responsible adult
caregiver with safety plan information on
their rights and responsibilities.
– For two (5%) participants tested, the
safety plans were not signed by each parent/
guardian/responsible adult caregiver and/or
representative of the Department.

• There were no QA staff and Director of the
Team designated to implement the training
and Plans required by the Act, including the
submission of the quarterly QA reports
during the engagement period.

• During our testing of nine grandparent/
great-grandparent visitation requests, we
noted the following:
– For two visitation requests (22%) tested,
the Department was unable to provide
documentation that would give evidence when
the initial request of grandparent/great-
grandparent visitation was received, as a
result, the auditors were unable to
determine if reasonable efforts were made
within 45 calendar days.
– For five visitation requests (56%) tested,
the Department was unable to provide a copy
of the written response sent to the
requesting grandparent/great-grandparent, as
a result, we were unable to determine if
reasonable and diligent efforts were made
within 45 calendar days
– Eight of these nine visitation requests
requested a clinical review, however, for
two (25%) requests for a clinical review,
the Department was unable to provide a copy
of the written notice of recommendation and
the basis for the recommendation to the
requesting grandparent/great-grandparent, as
a result, we were unable to determine if
written notice was provided within 14
calendar days.

• During our testing of eight quarterly
reports during the examination period, we
noted one report (13%) was submitted to the
General Assembly 18 days late.

• The required data from Fiscal Year 2022
and 2023 were not posted on the Department
website.

• During our testing of eight purchases of
service contracts, the Department was unable
to provide documentation supporting the
Department conducted the required annual
checks for two (25%) purchases of service
contracts, therefore, the auditors were
unable to test Department compliance with
the required annual checks on the purchase
of service agency and drivers.

• During our testing of 40 exit interviews,
the Department did not conduct the exit
interview for 32 (80%) children in a timely
manner. The exit interviews were performed
between 19 to 402 days after the children
left the foster homes. Additionally, the
Department did not prepare and post the
required quarterly reports summarizing the
details of the exit interviews on the
Department’s webpage during the examination
period.

• During our testing, we noted the Fiscal
Year 2023 and Fiscal Year 2024 annual
reports were submitted to the General
Assembly 7 and 2 days late, respectively.

• During our testing, we noted the Fiscal
Year 2024 report covered the evaluation of
the Pat McGuire Child Welfare Education
Fellowship Program (Program) for both Fiscal
Years 2023 and 2024, therefore the Fiscal
Year 2023 report was submitted a year
delayed.

• During our testing of 66 children from 23
family group cases with siblings staying at
different locations, we noted the following
– For six (9%) children tested, the
Department was unable to provide the Sibling
Visitation and Contact Plans
– For 33 (50%) children tested, the
Department did not provide the Form CFS
496-1, therefore, the auditors were unable
to determine whether the Department has
explained to the youth their rights and
responsibilities related to sibling
visitation.

• During our testing of 21 suggestions
during the examination period, we noted six
(29%) suggestions were documented and
reviewed 14 to 57 days after the date of
suggestion.(Finding 5, pages 31-40) This
finding has been reported since 2016.

We recommended the Department perform the
following:

• Ensure a signed written safety plan is
provided to each parent or guardian and
responsible adult caregiver participating in
a safety plan, and the Department retain a
copy of said safety plan.
• Adequately staff the Team to continue
accomplishing the goals of the Error
Reduction Implementation Plan.
• Ensure to maintain documentation of
grandparent/great-grandparent visitation
requests and the Department’s written
responses to such requests to corroborate if
reasonable efforts were made by the
Department.
• Ensure timely submission of all reports to
the Governor and General Assembly required
by the Act.
• Ensure to post on the Department website
the court-approved transportation plan from
the preceding fiscal years.
• Maintain monitoring documents of all
annual checks conducted on the purchase of
service agency and the drivers under the
agency’s employment.
• Ensure exit interviews are timely
conducted with every child aged 5 and over
who leaves a foster home and post on the
Department website the required quarterly
reports summarizing the details of the exit
interview.
• Ensure Sibling Visitation and Contact
Plans are developed when siblings are placed
apart and permanency workers diligently
review the Illinois Foster Child and Youth
Bill of Rights (CFS 496-1 Form) with each
child and provide a copy of the form to the
child.
• Ensure suggestion boxes are timely opened
and suggestions timely reviewed and
addressed.

The Department agreed with the
recommendation. Please see the full State
Compliance Examination Report for further
details of the Department’s response for
each of the bullet points noted above.

UNTIMELY INITIATION OF INVESTIGATIONS OF
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

The Department of Children and Family
Services (Department) did not timely
initiate investigations of child abuse and
neglect within 24 hours of receipt of the
report as required by the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act (Act).

The Department did not timely initiate an
investigation for 342 of the 94,527 (0.36%)
reports and for 354 of the 96,257 (0.37%)
reports of child abuse and neglect in Fiscal
Years 2023 and 2024, respectively.

After receiving the statistics above, we
requested the Department to provide us a
population of investigations initiated
beyond 24 hours from receipt of the report
during the examination period. The
Department subsequently provided the
requested population generated from SACWIS,
however, during our testing, we noted the
listing included investigations that were
initiated within 24 hours from receipt of
the report. Due to this condition, we were
unable to conclude the Department’s
population was sufficiently precise and
detailed under the Professional Standards
promulgated by the American Institute of
Certified Accountants (AT-C § 205.36).

Even given the population limitations noted
above which hindered the ability of the
accountants to conclude whether selected
samples were representative of the
population as a whole, we selected 60 of the
696 investigations noted as not being
initiated within 24 hours for further
detailed testing in order to determine if
the Department was meeting the 24-hour
requirement or if the SACWIS data contained
in the chart was incorrect. For 36
investigations sampled (60%), the Department
did not meet the statutory 24-hour
requirement. Specifically, we noted the
Department initiated an investigation 0.02
hours to 142 days after the required
timeframe. (Finding 8, pages 46-48).This
finding has been reported since 1998.

We recommended the Department initiate
investigations of all child abuse and
neglect reports within the timeframe
mandated by the Act and ensure complete and
accurate information on initiation of
investigations is maintained.

The Department agreed with the
recommendation to initiate all child abuse
and neglect reports within 24-hours of
receiving the report as mandated by the Act.
Of note, the Department’s investigators did
initiate the investigation within 24-hours
99.63% of the time, which is a testament to
the hardworking staff and their commitment
to compliance and serving the children of
Illinois. The Department agrees to increase
the percentage from 99.63% to 100% timely
initiation.

OTHER FINDINGS

The remaining findings are reportedly being
given attention by the Department. We will
review the Department’s progress towards the
implementation of our recommendations in our
next State compliance examination.

ACCOUNTANT’S OPINION

The accountants conducted a compliance
examination of the Department for the two
years ended June 30, 2024, as required by
the Illinois State Auditing Act. The
accountants qualified their report on State
compliance for Findings 2024-001 through
2024-012. Except for the noncompliance
described in these findings, the accountants
stated the Department complied, in all
material respects, with the requirements
described in the report.

This compliance examination was conducted by
Roth & Co. LLP.

COURTNEY DZIERWA
Division Director

This report is transmitted in accordance
with Section 3-14 of the Illinois State
Auditing Act.

FRANK J. MAUTINO
Auditor General

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