SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A state audit has found that the Illinois child-welfare agency has slipped in giving timely determinations of whether there’s truth in child-abuse and neglect reports.

Auditor General William Holland’s report Thursday says delays in concluding whether there’s enough evidence to intervene increased in 3.6 percent of cases in 2013 and 2.7 percent of cases in 2014. The agency missed the deadline just one-tenth of 1 percent of the time in 2010.

The Department of Children and Family Services receives about 67,000 reports annually.

Holland says failure to decide cases quickly delays proper intervention and could result in further harm to a child.

The agency says it will continue making efforts to reach perfect compliance.

News media investigations in recent months have exposed several problems at DCFS.

 

 

 

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