Case Against Tabor Community Partners has Resulted in an $11 million Settlement

An ongoing case against Tabor Community Partners has resulted in an $11 million settlement. The adoptive mother of a young infant stated that the Philadelphia child welfare non-profit provided “inadequate in-home safety and case management services” when caring for the baby. Under a contract with the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, Tabor Community Partners is required to conduct welfare checks and assess safety risks for their clients.

While the young child was under the care of her biological parents, she was abused, physically beaten to the point of bone fractures, and neglected. This abuse will follow the girl into adulthood, as she is permanently paralyzed.

This settlement will resolve the claims against Tabor Community Partners, however, the legal battle isn’t over quite yet. Tabor’s co-defendant, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is still being investigated. A nurse practitioner and social worker employed at CHOP both failed to report the suspected abuse, arguing that Tabor caseworkers were liable. CHOP employees stated that representatives from Tabor visited the abused child’s home multiple times without reporting unsafe conditions.

The defendant’s lawyer was outraged by the neglect displayed by institutions that are fundamentally supposed to protect vulnerable populations. He acknowledged the deserved punishment of the child’s biological mother years prior, but also stressed the need for accountability on the part of child welfare service providers.

“It's vitally important to hold responsible the child welfare services agencies, and when they don't do so, it's important for there to be accountability through the court system on those failings.”

Authors: Alexis Kabat and Andy Goldwasser