‘There was no oversight’: NH child advocate has been a watchdog for children’s care. Now, the office is on the chopping block
Author: Michaela Towfighi
Summary:
New Hampshire’s Office of the Child Advocate, created in response to child deaths and systemic failures, is at risk of being eliminated under the proposed state budget. Child Advocate Cassandra Sanchez has exposed serious abuse and neglect at out-of-state facilities like Bledsoe Youth Academy, where NH children were sent for care. Despite her office’s role in protecting vulnerable youth, lawmakers voted to cut it. Advocates warn that without oversight, children in state custody face heightened risks of trauma and mistreatment.