UNION COUNTY, N.C. — According to state regulators, Union County's Department of Social Services has made "very substantial progress" in correcting serious issues that were recently uncovered after a former supervisor's arrest.
Those regulators confirmed that the agency has experienced a 31 percent turnover in staff since the investigation, which the state applauded, saying it's because of improved quality of work and redefining expectations.
CLICK TO READ: Union Co. DSS Report
As a result, Union County has implemented new programs and protocols for better oversight of child protection.
The changes came after a former supervisor of Union County Department of Social Services, Wanda Larson, was arrested and admitted to turning a blind eye to the abuse of a boy in her care.
When deputies found the 11-year-old boy, he was shackled to a porch with a dead chicken around his neck.
Larson is out of jail and on probation while her boyfriend, Dorian Harper, is serving a 6-10 year prison sentence after admitting to burning, beating and cutting the boy.
The state oversight agency said there's still more work for Union County's DSS to do in the wake of Larson's arrest, including needing to update its current plan for making sure those improvements continue and also needs to expand and improve its quality assurance staff within child welfare programs.
The state will also begin giving technical assistance within the child welfare programs.
Channel 9 is digging deeper into the report and looking at how the changes will impact the children in Union County and will have more on this story on Eyewitness News at 5 p.m.
Regulators: Union Co. DSS has made 'substantial progress' since former supervisor's arrest
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