Hennepin County adds staff to confront soaring child protection reports

Two children have died this year in incidents involving parental maltreatment in Hennepin County, just as the county is increasing its child protection workers and overhauling its system to better protect children and provide help sooner to families.

County leaders hope that more staffers and new programs will help prevent child abuse while shrinking the number of child protection reports, which reached a record high of 20,000 in 2016 — nearly double the number from 2008.

http://www.startribune.com/hennepin-county-adds-staff-to-confront-soaring-child-protection-reports/430253293/