Statement on Killing of DCFS worker

Our condolences to the family of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services worker Deidre Silas who was stabbed to death Tuesday during a visit to a home in Thayer, Illinois.

Every child deserves to be raised in a safe and loving environment. Those who visit children’s homes to ensure their safety have a special place in our society and deserve all the protections we can provide so that they can help protect our children. Our organizations work every day to see that children have the resources they need to be safe, healthy, and educated. That includes adequate resources to provide for the proper number of caseworkers, home visitors, and others who help put them on a path to a successful life.

We urge Governor J.B. Pritzker and members of the General Assembly to take whatever steps are necessary to guarantee the safety of our children and DCFS workers. We’re ready to work with our elected officials on all the proactive steps necessary to see that Illinois is the best place to raise a child.

Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat
President and Board Member
Children’s Advocates for Change

Dara Munson
President and CEO
Family Focus

Children’s Advocates for Change is an independent advocacy organization committed to the well-being of every Illinois child. We champion those policies and investments children need to be educated, healthy, and prosper.

Family Focus invests in strengthening families and their children in Chicago and NE Illinois, so they build social capital and achieve upward economic mobility through high-quality innovative programs and services, grounded in anti-racism and social justice.