>>> THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES HAS A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.

CARING FOR YOUTH WHOSE FAMILIES CAN'T.

THE AGENCY HAS COME UNDER FIRE FROM CRITICS WHO SAY DC HAS TOO OFTEN FAILED TO MEET THAT OBLIGATION BY TAKING TOO LONG TO PLACE THE MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH.

AS PART OF A SURVEY OF HEAD COUNTS, NEWS REPORTER JARED EXAMINED HIRING AT THAT AGENCY AND WHAT HE FOUND MAY SURPRISE YOU.

AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US WITH MORE.

SO WHAT HAVE WE FOUND HERE?

>> Reporter: WELL PARIS, SOME STATE AGENCIES SAW THE NUMBER OF STAFF DECLINE LAST YEAR.

SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUB LUCK HEALTH.

YOU WILL REMEMBER, WE TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT LAST WEEK.

AND VIEWER CANS CHECK THAT OUT ONLINE.

DCSF IS THE OPPOSITE.

THE AGENCY HAS HIRED MORE PEOPLE.

THE CHIEF OF STAFF SAYS A LOT OF CHILD WELFARE INVESTIGATORS RESIGNED IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF COVID.

>> WE SAW QUITE A DROPOFF AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID.

THE FIRST FEW MONTHS WE HAD A LOT OF RESIGNATIONS.

A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WALKED AWAY FROM THE WORK FOR A HOST OF REASONS.

IT IS CHALLENGING WORK WHERE WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND GO INTO THE HOMES OF STRANGERS EVERY DAY.

THAT IS THE CALL OF THE JOB.

YOU ARE KNOCKING ON DOORS AND GOING INTO HOMES.

AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FIRST SIX TO NINE TO 12 MONTHS OF COVID, THAT'S A SCARY ASK.

>> Reporter: NOW, HE SAYS THE AGENCY IS BACK TO ALMOST 700 INVESTIGATORS, ABOUT WHAT THE NUMBER WAS PREPANDEMIC.

HE SAYS HIRING HAS TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.

>> THE MORE TIME THEY GET TO SPEND IN QUALITY INTERACTIONS WITH THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WE SERVE, THE MORE TIME THEY GET TO SPEND ON QUALITY INVESTIGATIONS.

IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

>> Reporter: THAT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR COOK COUNTY GUARDIAN CHARLES GOLDBYRD.

HE SAY DCSF HAS TOO MANY VACANCIES.

>> IT'S ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS.

THEY DON'T PAY ENOUGH.

IT IS VERY HIGH STRESS JOB AND IT IS A COMPLETELY INSEPTEMBER BUREAUCRACY.

>> Reporter: DCSF SAYS IT IS HARD TO JUDGE VACANCY RATES STATEWIDE.

IT CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT TO HIRE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS THAN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS FOR ECONOMIC REASONS.

BUT, HE DOES ADMIT IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

>> THERE ARE CHRONIC HIRING CHALLENGES IN CHILD WELFARE IN GENERAL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

THE TURNOVER RATES, THE RETENTION RATES, THE INABILITY TO STEP UP IS A CHALLENGE.

NOT UNIQUE TO ILLINOIS.

>> AS FOR SALARIES, HE SAYS HE KNOWS OF INVESTIGATORS WHO LEFT THE JOB WITH DCSF BECAUSE THEY COULD GET A BIGGER PAYCHECK WORKING AT AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE.

>> WE ASKED A LOT OF THE WORKERS WHETHER TO TAKE CHILDREN FROM PARENTS AWAY WHO HAVE BEEN RAISING THEM OR WHETHER TO KEEP CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND UNSAFE CIRCUMSTANCES.

WHETHER TO REUNIFY CHILDREN WITH PARENTS.

WHETHER PARENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO VISIT WITH CHILDREN.

THESE ARE HIGH IMPACT DECISIONS FOR VULNERABLE REALLY HELPLESS CHILDREN.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS FOR ALL OF THAT, ILLINOIS NEEDS TO COMPENSATE ACCORDINGLY.

THEY SAY THEY ARE RAISING SALARIES.

THE STARTING SALARY FOR AN INVESTIGATOR WITH TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE NOW NEARLY $68,000 A YEAR, HE HAS VISITED PERSONALLY FIELD OFFICES AND SPOKEN WITH NEARLY EVERY INVESTIGATOR TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR ISSUES.

A TOP ONE.

NOT ENOUGH SUPERVISION.

SO HE SAYS THE AGENCY HAS HIRED MORE SUPERVISORS.

>> A LOT MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON QUALITY SUPERVISION.

GIVING THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.

NOW IT HAS TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

THAT OBVIOUSLY MEANS WE NEED MORE SUPERVISORS THAN WE DID BEFORE.

BUT WHERE WE SEE TEAMS AT 5-1, WE ALSO SEE MUCH BETTER RETENTION.

>> Reporter: HE GIVES THE GOVERNOR PRITZKER'S ADMINISTRATION MORE CREDIT FOR PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO IT.

HE USED TO THINK FUNDING WAS THE SOLUTION.

BUT NOT ANYMORE.

>> IT IS CLEAR TO ME, THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ATTENTION THAT IT NEEDS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.

SO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES BUT THAT HAS NOT TRANSLATED INTO INCREASED IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN YET.

>> Reporter: DCFS IS SET TO GET ANOTHER BUMP IN THE COMING BUDGET AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS INTENDED TO CREATE MORE PLACEMENT FOR YOUTH IN CARE.

THE AGENCY SAYS OTHER MEASURES TO IMPROVE RETENTION IS UNDERWAY.

AND PARIS, MEANWHILE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE HOW OTHER