Resolution seeks examination of Community Umbrella Agencies and School District hiring and screening practices following the tragic death of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford
Councilwoman Cindy Bass (8th District) will introduce a resolution during this week’s Philadelphia City Council stated session authorizing the Committee of the Whole to hold public hearings examining the City’s Community Umbrella Agency (CUA) system and the School District of Philadelphia’s hiring and screening practices.
The resolution comes amid renewed scrutiny of Philadelphia’s child welfare system following the tragic death of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford, who was in the custody of the Department of Human Services (DHS) and receiving foster care services at the time of her death. Her death has raised deeply troubling questions about the oversight of foster care placements, background checks, home safety assessments and the agencies entrusted with protecting vulnerable children.
For Councilwoman Bass, however, these concerns are not new. For years, she has challenged DHS officials over the performance, oversight and accountability of the CUAs responsible for managing cases involving children and families in the child welfare system.
In 2023, Bass delivered emotional remarks before City Council expressing her frustration with the failures of the system and the consequences for children whose safety depends on it. She has continued to press the administration for greater transparency, stronger oversight and meaningful reforms to ensure that CUA providers are meeting their responsibilities.
“Malayshia’s death is heartbreaking, and it should compel every one of us to take a hard look at the systems we have entrusted with protecting our children,” said Councilwoman Bass. “We cannot continue to have conversations about children falling through the cracks without confronting the systemic failures that allow it to happen. We owe our children more than explanations after the fact. We owe them a system that protects them.”
The proposed hearings will examine the structure and oversight of the CUA system, including the safeguards surrounding foster care placements and the responsibilities of the agencies involved. The resolution also calls for examination of the School District’s hiring and screening practices, including criminal background checks, child abuse clearances and reporting obligations.
“Whether a child is placed in a foster home or entrusted to an adult in a school setting, families must have confidence that the proper safeguards are in place,” Bass said. “We need to know that clearances are being conducted, concerns are being reported, homes are being properly assessed, and agencies are being held accountable when they fail to meet their obligations. These hearings are an opportunity to get answers, identify where protections have broken down and determine what must change.”
Bass emphasized that the goal must extend beyond a single investigation or moment of public attention.
“Every child deserves to be safe, protected and cared for. Malayshia deserved that. Every child in Philadelphia’s care deserves that. We cannot wait for another tragedy to demand action. It is time for meaningful oversight, transparency and accountability across the systems responsible for our children’s safety.”
