By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis – Missouri Democratic gubernatorial nominee Claire McCaskill says she would make reforming the state's child abuse prevention agency a priority of her administration.
Her plan would include more specialized and adequate training for caseworkers, and ensuring those employees conduct their investigations alongside law enforcement officers.
McCaskill says in March, Missouri failed seven federal safety standards designed to protect children from abuse and neglect.
"At the time that occurred, there were some people who worked in that agency that said those goals were unattainable," McCaskill said. "I don't have 'unattainable' in my dictionary. As governor, we will work to pass every single one of those federal safety standards."
McCaskill says she would also ensure abused children are interviewed in protected locations away from alleged perpetrators. That's something she says does not always take place.