After police said they found a boy cuffed to a porch with a dead chicken hanging from his neck, the Union County Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement regarding the case.
The director Wayne Black says the department will examine its procedures to ensure the child welfare program adheres to protocol. Officials also plan to review all case records in any county that placed a child in the home of Wanda Larson and Dorian Harper.
Read the full statement below:
DHHS will review all of the applicable child welfare case records in any county that placed a child in the Larson/Harper home. At the request of Union County DSS officials, DHHS will examine processes and procedures to ensure Union County's Child Welfare program adheres to proper standards and protocols. DHHS also will review pertinent records involving the supervision of this home while licensed. DHHS cannot comment on the specific status of any child.
The DHHS Division of Social Services has authority to license foster homes. The county DSS is the supervising agency that monitors licensed foster care homes. Dorian Harper and Wanda Larson are not currently licensed foster parents in North Carolina. The Harper/Larson foster home license expired in December 2010. There have been no foster children living in the home since May 2009.
Based on state law regarding adoption of foster children, once a decree of adoption is entered, the adoptive parents are not subject to any additional oversight by DSS unless it is requested by the parents. For additional information, see state policy here.
The state maintains a register of licensed family foster and therapeutic foster homes. The following is the public information from the registry:
NCGS 131D-10.6C. Maintaining a register of licensed foster homes by the Division of Social Services.
(a) The Division of Social Services shall keep a register of all licensed family foster and therapeutic foster homes. The register shall contain the following information:
1.) The name, age, and address of each foster parent.
Dorian Lee Harper, 57 years old, 4116 Austin Road Monroe NC 28112
Wanda Sue Larson, 57 years old, 4116 Austin Road Monroe NC 28112
2.) Repealed
3.) The foster parent's supervising agency.
Union County DSS supervised the family foster home from 12/1/98 through 9/17/03
Gaston County DSS supervised the family foster home from
9/18/03 through 12/1/10
4.) The number of hours of mandated training completed by the
foster parent.
30 hours of pre-service training completed in 1998
20 hours of in-service training for every 2 years of licensure.
5.) The date of the initial licensure.
December 1, 1998
6.) The current licensing period
Dorian Harper and Wanda Larson are not currently licensed foster parents
in North Carolina.
7.) Any adverse licensing actions.
No adverse licensing actions occurred during the licensure period.
8.) Repealed
