Protecting foster youth and children from institutional physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, permanent damage, and systemic personal injury requires highly efficient, well-defined reporting metrics. This May 2026 article by Nolan McKendry from The Center Square discusses a Louisiana DCFS internal document revealing that none of the 687 referrals filed under a new child-on-child safety mandate (“Charlie’s Law”) actually met the statutory definition of abuse in a school setting. Because the poorly drafted law lacks distinct standalone terminology and defaults to adult felony thresholds, it leads to redundant, counterproductive family assessments. As a result, vital child safety resources are misallocated while early childhood programs face crushing compliance costs that threaten staff wages.
Mckendry, N. (2026, May 7). Reports under “Charlie’s Law” not meeting standard for sexual abuse. The Center Square; Franklin News Foundation. https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_22368bc2-9e43-4410-a953-66505274efb4.html