Supervisors Move to Bolster County’s Protections for Vulnerable Children Under 5
Motion by Hahn and Horvath seeks review of Department of Children and Family Services policies
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors advanced a plan to conduct a review of the County’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) policies with the goal of enhancing the Department’s protections for young children ages 0 to 5. A motion authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn and coauthored by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath directs DCFS to review its internal processes and identify improvements that could be made in areas such as case review and closure, linkage between support services at different stages in the case process, and levels of review in cases involving domestic violence, among others. The Department will report back to the Board with its findings in 120 days.
“Los Angeles County serves many roles, but none as important as protecting vulnerable people, especially children. They deserve our very best, so today we’re moving to really study where we can make improvements and build on the progress we’ve already made,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “When it comes to the safety of our children, no stone can be left unturned.”
In Los Angeles County, children from birth to age 5 are statistically the population most vulnerable to harm, abuse, and death at the hands of caretakers. Between 1989 and 2018, 524 children in LA County died due to trauma inflicted by a parent or primary caregiver, often associated with excessive discipline related to crying, toilet training, or feeding.
“The first years of a child’s life lay the foundation for everything that follows,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “If we want better outcomes for our children, we have to show up sooner—with support, with resources, and with care—so families have what they need to build healthy, stable futures together.”
The Department has already made significant progress in better protecting this population. In 2021, 51% of child fatalities in families with child welfare history in the County were children birth to 5 years old. The most recent data for 2025 shows that that number has decreased to 25%. The improvements followed a dedicated effort by the Department which included targeted outreach to high-need and high-fatality areas, ensuring lower caseloads for social workers, and boosting preventative support like mental health and substance abuse services, among other measures.
The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services is one of the largest child protective agencies in the nation, and serves more than 2 million children across the 88 cities and all unincorporated areas in the County.
