Thousands of Massachusetts parents face scrutiny from the state’s child protection system and, with it, the all-consuming fear of losing custody of a child.
With restrictions on how long families can stay in state-run emergency shelters now gaining favor in the House and Senate, anti-homelessness advocates argue that if "artificial" time restrictions are imposed, the state also needs to invest in programs to help families exit shelter into housing.
State hearing officers reversed DCF’s findings against parents and caregivers 40 percent of the time last fiscal year, new data show, while dozens of others were partially overturned.