Raleigh, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) will temporarily take over leadership of child welfare services in Vance County beginning Wednesday, May 14, 2025, citing serious concerns about the county’s ability to provide adequate care and support to vulnerable children and families.
The move, authorized under state law (N.C.G.S. § 108A-74), follows months of close monitoring and collaboration between NCDHHS and the Vance County Department of Social Services (DSS). Despite these efforts, the county has not demonstrated sufficient progress in addressing critical deficiencies in its child welfare practices, prompting the state to intervene to safeguard the well-being of children receiving or eligible for services.
According to NCDHHS, the temporary action is necessary to stabilize and strengthen child welfare services in Vance County. State officials will be on-site and directly administering services beginning May 14. The department’s intervention aims to improve case management, compliance with legal standards, and overall service delivery to families in need.
The county’s leadership and DSS personnel were officially notified of the change earlier today. Both parties have expressed support for the state’s involvement and the urgency of taking corrective action.
The situation stems from an extended period of concern over Vance County DSS’s performance, dating back to July 2024. State officials identified numerous systemic issues in practice, oversight, and service delivery—problems that, according to NCDHHS, posed a substantial threat to the safety of children under the agency’s care. The lack of measurable improvement since then triggered the department’s decision to assume temporary control.
As part of the transition, NCDHHS staff will remain embedded at the Vance County DSS throughout the interim period. Their responsibilities will include managing child welfare operations and collaborating with county staff to build a sustainable path toward compliance with all state and federal child welfare laws and standards.
While this move marks a significant shift in operations, officials have emphasized that it is intended to be temporary. The state is currently working with Vance County to develop a detailed recovery and improvement plan that will eventually return control of child welfare services to local leadership once benchmarks are met.
The action underscores the state’s broader commitment to protecting children and strengthening local DSS systems across North Carolina. NCDHHS officials say they will continue to evaluate other counties as necessary to ensure child welfare systems statewide operate effectively and in the best interest of the children they serve.
