Pa. State-of-Child Welfare report on Smart Talk

• Scott LaMar/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Child care provider Pat Alexander helps children, Isaiah, left, and Hector, right, identify various types of dinosaurs at her child care center in Elk Grove, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020.

Airdate: Monday, December 13, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on everyone, but especially on vulnerable children.

The Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children annual State of Child Welfare Report showed declines in the number of child abuse or neglect reports and children in the foster care system. However, the numbers are from 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic when there were stay-at-home orders and many kids weren’t seeing teachers or medical professionals as often.

With that in mind, what to take away from the report is a bit of a challenge but PPC has some recommendations.

We’ll discuss them and the report on Monday’s Smart Talk with Kari King, President and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.