40th Anniversary Symposium
Margaret Kennedy (May 1977 to January 1979)

When Margaret Kennedy became the DCFS Director in 1979, she had to tell inadequately funded private agencies with the bad news that extra money wouldn’t be arriving for at least a year. At the same time, child abuse reports were growing, and limited staff meant rising backlogs. There were also chronic shortages of foster homes, which resulted in some older Chicago youth being placed into hotel rooms, while younger children were housed in overcrowded foster homes.

More money and additional staff positions gradually trickled in. The Department improved its relations with private agencies, and Kennedy was able to turn attention to training. She work with the American Humane Association to develop specialized child protection training for staff, and provided workshops to police Departments throughout the state. Day care licensing also strengthened during Kennedy’s administration.