CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The first week of March, the Department of Social Services received 1,400 intakes for child protective services.
That number was down more than half once schools began to close. The lead family advocate for Durant Children’ Center says the cases coming in have changed.
“The severity of abuse, the types of abuse that’s being reported is much different than what it was before the pandemic. And that’s heartbreaking. The cases are more complex. They’re more challenging,” said Tawanda Rouse, Durant Children’s Center.
The Accelerated Ed Task Force recommends school districts implement a health crisis response team to help students and staff with support.