Press Release  Office of the Child Advocate Releases FY24 Annual Report Detailing Expanded Capacity, Policy Initiatives, and Efforts to Strengthen Child Welfare Systems

BOSTON, MA — The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) has released its Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report, documenting the agency’s ongoing efforts to promote the safety, well-being, and equitable treatment of children across Massachusetts. The report outlines the OCA’s expanded capacity, increased volume of cases it reviews, and the formal establishment of the Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma within the agency’s organizational structure.

“As we expand our efforts to ensure that every child in Massachusetts is safe and thriving, the OCA remains committed to strengthening oversight, fostering collaboration, and helping to get essential resources to children and families,” said Maria Mossaides, Director of the OCA. “This report highlights not just our progress, but the breadth of our work to improve systems that serve children.”

The Annual Report details key data related to the OCA’s core mandated functions, including:

• Responding to 532 inquiries on the OCA’s Complaint Line
• Reviewing 278 Critical Incident Reports involving 380 children
• Reviewing 465 supported allegations of abuse or neglect in out-of-home settings, affecting 676 children.
• Assessing 15 Foster Care Review Safety Alerts involving 17 children to address systemic risks.

This represents an overall increase in the volume and complexity of cases brought to the OCA’s attention. In Fiscal Year 2024, the total number of cases rose to 1,290 , representing a 2.5% increase over the previous year and a 38% increase over the past five years.

Contacts to the OCA’s Complaint Line also grew, with a 10% increase in the number of cases recorded.

Expansion of the OCA’s Work

This fiscal year marked a significant milestone as the OCA formally incorporated the Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma as a new division. This division of the OCA enhances the Commonwealth’s capacity to promote trauma-responsive practices within state agencies and their contracted providers. Through specialized trainings and technical assistance, the Center empowers professionals to better support children impacted by trauma.

The OCA also launched a Mandated Reporter Training, equipping approximately 8,000 individuals in FY24, and thousands more in the subsequent months, with the knowledge to recognize and report child abuse and neglect effectively, leading to improved quality of reports statewide.

Strengthening Policy Leadership

Over the past Fiscal Year, the OCA released a number of policy reports in critical areas. For instance, in April of 2024 it released a report “Family Resource Centers: Recommendations for Increasing Access and Improving Service Delivery,” making recommendations to help focus Family Resource Centers, expand access, and integrate them more fully with state systems. 

The OCA also reported on the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program, a partnership between the OCA and the Department of Youth Services (DYS), finding that more youth were completing diversion successfully.  

The OCA’s Annual Report also details the OCA’s leadership in several critical statewide initiatives, including:

• The Juvenile Justice Policy and Data (JJPAD) Board, which assesses and recommends improvements to the state’s juvenile justice system. The JJPAD also released its report in FY24 highlighting the increased use of the juvenile justice system;
• The Childhood Trauma Task Force, which works to enhance the Commonwealth’s response to childhood trauma;
• The Child Fatality Review Program, in partnership with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Department of Public Health, to identify preventable child deaths and inform policy changes; and
• The Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Task Force, in collaboration with the Children’s Trust, to strengthen protective measures for children across the state.

“Our work continues to evolve and expand because the needs of children and families in Massachusetts are constantly changing,” said Mossaides. “By strengthening our oversight, launching new initiatives, and deepening partnerships, we are making a real impact in shaping a better future for the Commonwealth’s children.”

To read the full FY24 Annual Report, visit: 
https://www.mass.gov/doc/oca-annual-report-fiscal-year-2024/download.

###

About the Office of the Child Advocate  
The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an independent agency that serves children and families across the Commonwealth. The Office’s goal is to ensure all children receive appropriate, timely and quality services. The OCA collects and analyzes data and makes recommendations to legislators and professionals to improve these services. The Office also takes complaints and provides information to families who receive state services.  

###