Parents and advocates press Durham commissioners for oversight of child-welfare and family-court practices

Parents, advocates and legal advocates used the Durham County Board of Commissioners' July 13 public-comment period to press for oversight, audits and independent review of the county's child-welfare processes and family-court practices.

Rafiq Zaidi, president of Black Men and Women With Boots on the Ground, told the board he was "here tonight on behalf of the stolen children in Durham" and cited local figures that he said showed hundreds of children in custody, including a high proportion who are Black. "According to the statistics... we have as of... May 26, 178 children in custody," he said, adding that some children have been in custody for more than two years and asking, "Where are the Durham children being placed?"

Advocates amplified those concerns. Amanda Wallace, founder of Operation Stop CPS, repeated similar counts and raised spending concerns: she told the board that the county had spent "$2,300,000 simply on room and board" for foster care in a cited period and questioned whether those funds could instead support families and prevent separations. Jessica Saxon, a civil-rights litigator, said she had served the board with affidavits alleging criminal conspiracy naming judges and asked why the board had not addressed those filings.

Family-court advocates asked for structural reviews. Temple Rose Monday, a family-court advocate, described prolonged processes that she said compound trauma and called for an independent review of supervised visitation, reunification therapy, trauma-informed practices and financial incentives tied to court-ordered services.

Commissioners acknowledged the gravity of commenters' remarks and pointed to programs intended to prevent family separation. Commissioner Valentine highlighted a Welcome Baby Program grant included on the consent agenda and noted that the grant is a four-year award providing $150,000 per fiscal year to support early-childhood and family supports; other commissioners said the board is committed to unifying and supporting families. No formal board vote or directive to order an independent investigation of the Department of Social Services or family-court practices was recorded during the meeting.

Speakers and advocates asked the board for concrete follow-up: independent audits, fuller reporting of placement locations, and clearer reunification timelines. County staff did not announce a board-directed investigation during the meeting; commissioners said they heard the requests and noted existing and proposed prevention programs.

The meeting record shows repeated, detailed public testimony urging more transparency and oversight of child-welfare tools and court-ordered services; commissioners said they would consider those requests as part of ongoing work but took no immediate, formal investigative action at the July 13 session.