DCF Withdraws Supported Neglect Finding Regarding Monitoring of Internet Usage

In April 2014, the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) withdrew a supported finding of abuse against a group-home employee who was alleged to have neglected a teenaged resident of the home by failing to monitor her Internet usage, particularly the emails she sent and received while sitting at a computer in the living room in the group home.

The matter proceeded to a Fair Hearing at the DCF, at which Attorney Al Gordon represented the worker and argued that staff-to-resident levels in the group home did not allow the worker to continually monitor the resident's usage and that the group home agency failed to provide adequate firewalls to prevent residents from accessing inappropriate material on the web. As a result of the arguments made at the hearing, even before the Hearing Officer had an opportunity to issue her ruling , the DCF changed its position and voluntarily withdrew the finding against the worker.