40th Anniversary Symposium
Edward T. Weaver (May 1968 - April 1972)

Ed Weaver served the Department during a time he once called the Camelot period. He started as a regional Director when DCFS was established in 1964, then filled the Director’s position shortly after the death of Director Winking in 1968. While his tenure is probably best known for the Department’s takeover of Cook County’s Child Welfare Division, which tripled the Department’s caseload, he also the recruitment and development of a more professional staff. A new child abuse reporting law was also passed during his tenure. And Ed can also claim a special title, because during his stay, the Department never had a piece of legislation it supported that failed, and no legislation it opposed was ever passed.