Georgia Child Welfare Chief Slams Senator Ossoff’s Foster Care Ad
Georgia’s top child welfare official has sharply criticized Senator Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., accusing him of exploiting the state’s struggling foster care system for political gain. Candice Broce, director of the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS), contends that Ossoff’s new campaign advertisement, which highlights his work on child welfare issues, misrepresents his contributions and turns a critical issue into a campaign victory lap.
Senator Ossoff’s Campaign Ad Sparks Controversy
The advertisement, titled “Our Kids,” features Senator Ossoff discussing a “scathing report” and a “yearlong bipartisan investigation” he conducted with Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., into Georgia’s foster care system. The ad positions his probe and subsequent legislation as evidence of his commitment to protecting children and ensuring accountability within the system. As Ossoff seeks re-election in a highly competitive race, his campaign aims to showcase this work as a key part of his record.
However, Broce argues that the senator’s portrayal is misleading. “For five years, I’ve been in the trenches fighting for vulnerable children and foster care reform alongside thousands of DFCS workers. Trust us when we say Jon Ossoff is nowhere to be found,” Broce stated on the social media platform X. She asserted that Ossoff did not secure additional funding for DFCS, despite acknowledging its resource constraints and calling the agency incompetent. Furthermore, she noted that he did not obtain more federal support for child advocacy centers, despite state requests, nor did he address federal laws that have impacted group homes or streamline the adoption process for children placed with families.
“Jon’s ad sounds great, but his words are meaningless to the men and women in the arena,” Broce added, suggesting that Ossoff’s campaign messaging lacks tangible impact for those working directly within the system.
Campaigns Trade Barbs Over Foster Care System
The Ossoff campaign swiftly responded to Broce’s criticisms, labeling her an “unqualified partisan political hack” and accusing her of “dangerous incompetence.” A campaign spokesperson pointed to the oversight work highlighted in the advertisement, noting that it uncovered potential sex trafficking of children within the state’s foster care system, among other serious issues. This investigation, the campaign argued, was supported by the Office of the Child Advocate, juvenile court judges, former foster children, and investigative reporting.
The senator’s team also brought up allegations that Broce had suggested holding children with special needs in juvenile detention while DFCS searched for suitable placements. Broce has denied these claims, characterizing them as politically motivated attempts to distort the complex challenges of ensuring the safety of foster youth with behavioral issues, histories of running away, or risks of trafficking, especially amid placement shortages.
“Candice Broce is a partisan political hack irresponsibly placed in charge of care for the state’s most vulnerable kids,” the Ossoff spokesperson retorted. “Instead of whining that her dangerous incompetence was made public, she should fix her broken agency.”
Broce defended her qualifications, citing her background as a healthcare attorney and her previous role overseeing approximately 40 state agencies, including DFCS, under Governor Brian Kemp. While not disputing the serious challenges facing Georgia’s foster care system, she maintained that Ossoff had used these problems for hearings and campaign material without offering substantial solutions.
“If you’re going to beat us down, show up with something to make it better,” Broce urged. “He didn’t do that.” She suggested Ossoff could have leveraged his federal position to secure resources for Medicaid, behavioral health services, and placement capacity, rather than solely focusing on DFCS failures.
Comparing Records and Seeking Solutions
Broce contrasted Senator Ossoff’s approach with that of Georgia’s other U.S. Senator, Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. She described the difference as “stark,” highlighting Warnock’s community engagement and adoption-related initiatives as examples of practical support that she believes Ossoff has not provided. “Compare his child welfare record to Warnock’s. It’s crystal clear which U.S. Senator from Georgia cares about vulnerable families and kids, and it’s not Jon,” Broce posted on X.
The Ossoff campaign, however, pushed back on the notion that fixing a state agency falls under the senator’s purview. “It is not Senator Ossoff’s job to fix the state agency [Broce] leads,” a representative stated. They reiterated Ossoff’s contributions, including oversight work, passing an anti-trafficking law, and helping to restore foster care funding that had been cut by the Trump administration. They contrasted this with Broce’s alleged inaction, calling her criticism a complaint that “it’s Senator Ossoff’s job to fix the state agency she leads.”
Broce pointed to bipartisan support for DFCS, noting that the agency had received over $100 million in state funds from legislators of both parties. “If he decides today that he actually wants to help us and vulnerable Georgia kids, we’d welcome him with open arms,” she concluded, expressing a willingness to collaborate if Ossoff shifts his focus to providing concrete assistance.
Senator Ossoff, who is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination, faces Republican nominee Rep. Mike Collins in the upcoming November election. The race is among the most closely watched in the nation.
