The Cost of Ignorance: A Lawyer’s Call for Reform Around Reactive Attachment Disorder
- Micaela Myers
- 9 hours ago
- 5 min read
In April 2025, retired attorney Alan Novick wrote an article titled “DCFS Should Be Aware of Reactive Attachment Disorder” for the Illinois State Bar Association’s Child Law newsletter, stating:
“Since the early 1980s, when I first stepped into abuse/neglect court, some of the most confounding days involved a child (or children) diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder (RAD). You wouldn’t wish this diagnosis on your enemy’s child. Behaviors can range from lying, hostility, indiscriminate defecation and urination, harming other children, fire setting, and always blaming the primary caregiver, usually the mom, for any and all ills. These kids can be absolutely charming but not exactly reliable fact tellers, especially to Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigators and law enforcement.”
He continues: “Until DCFS investigators and child welfare caseworkers — the proverbial boots on the ground of foster care — are educated about reactive attachment disorder, the consequences can be serious not only for a child’s development, but also for the caretakers’ emotional health, marriage, custody of their biological children, reputation and, ultimately, their freedom.”
This article hit home for me as a parent who was criminalized for not being able to handle this severe mental illness. All too often, it’s just us parents on the front line fighting for change, and it was refreshing to hear an experienced lawyer so passionate about reform.
A Lawyer’s Quest to Reform DCFS and Reactive Attachment Disorder Awareness
Novick spent 37 years handling public defender abuse and neglect cases in juvenile court. He also engaged in private practice, handling abuse and neglect cases and DCFS administrative appeals.
In addition to his decades of experience in the field, Novick conducted a Freedom of Information Act request to Illinois DCFS to learn how many RAD cases they see, what outcomes occur, and how they train workers regarding reactive attachment disorder.
Children with reactive attachment disorder can be absolutely charming but not exactly reliable fact tellers, especially to Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigators and law enforcement.
“I was appalled,” he says. “Suffice it to say, DCFS offers no training to its workers about reactive attachment disorder. They keep no statistics on the number of RAD cases or case outcomes. There are no policies or procedures specifically for these cases. RAD knowledge for DCFS hasn’t changed in the last 40 years. The department cannot advocate for a child’s best interests if it is oblivious of this complex disorder. DCFS’ ignorance is particularly destructive because every one of the cases that I dealt with ended up mangling the family unit.”
In speaking with parents across the United States, it’s clear to me and other members of RAD Advocates that these issues are not unique to Illinois but are widespread (read "How the System Fails Kids and Families Tackling the Impact of Early Trauma"here).
Novick goes on to state that the child welfare bureaucracy always blames the foster parents for anything the child does and always believes anything the child says. He even had one judge state that no child would lie about abuse. Novick represented adoptive and foster parents in countless cases where they were wrongfully accused or criminalized for being unable to care for such severely disturbed children (read "Families on Trial: When Judging Parents of Kids with Reactive Attachment Disorder Does More Harm" here).
The children in these cases abused and killed animals, set fire to structures, and abused and attempted to kill members of the family.
Until DCFS investigators and child welfare caseworkers — the proverbial boots on the ground of foster care — are educated about reactive attachment disorder, the consequences can be serious not only for a child’s development, but also for the caretakers’ emotional health, marriage, custody of their biological children, reputation and, ultimately, their freedom.
“I watched foster parents wrongfully accused of everything from physical abuse, lockout, emotional abuse, medical neglect and torture,” Novick says. “I say wrongfully accused because each foster parent was in the end exonerated, but only after enduring extensive litigation in the courts and at hearings before DCFS administrative law judges.”
The Myth That Reactive Attachment Disorder Is Rare
Reactive attachment disorder, now also referred to as developmental trauma disorder, can occur in children who experienced neglect, abuse, or disruptions in caregiving during their early years. Because it’s rare in the general population, the high rates of reactive attachment disorder among the orphan or foster care populations are often overlooked (read more in"Reactive Attachment Disorder: The "Rare" Culprit That Stifles Traumatized Kids and Their Parents" here).
Approximately 35% to 45% of maltreated children in foster care appear to have clinically meaningful RAD symptoms, Novick found in his research. “If these numbers are anywhere close to accurate, DCFS’ lack of tracking on RAD cases and the failure to educate investigators and caseworkers screams social welfare malpractice,” he says.
RAD knowledge for DCFS hasn’t changed in the last 40 years. The department cannot advocate for a child’s best interests if it is oblivious of this complex disorder. DCFS’ ignorance is particularly destructive because every one of the cases that I dealt with ended up mangling the family unit.
Further complicating the issue is the lack of research and effective treatments — reasons sometimes given by professionals for avoiding the label (read "The Reactive Attachment Disorder Resource Desert: Why Parents Can't Find Good Help for Their Kids" here).
However, RAD Advocates has emerged to train practitioners and refer parents to more effective approaches. Novick referenced RAD Advocates in his article, noting the organization offers practical suggestions for steps to take during a crisis, for dealing with the trauma of a RAD child on the rest of the family, for steps to take before a foster care adoption, and on how to respond to a child welfare investigation (access these resources here).
Novick’s Recommendations for DCFS Reform on Reactive Attachment Disorder
Novick’s experiences and research led him to conclude that DCFS has remained ignorant about children with the disorder and that the child welfare system needs to develop methods of identifying and treating children with this diagnosis.
I asked Novick what’s behind the lack of change. Is it about money?
“One of the articles I cited stated that departments don’t want to know about the frequency of RAD because it’s a very expensive situation,” he acknowledges.
To improve outcomes, agencies need to look for and understand developmental trauma disorder and then be willing to support children and families.
Many DCFS units utilize private agencies for some of their casework. In Illinois, those agencies take DCFS core training, which doesn’t cover reactive attachment disorder. But it should.
“DCFS needs to train its personnel and all the workers at purchase-of-service agencies who work with these children to spot the symptoms of RAD,” Novick says. “And DCFS needs to stop destroying families by instinctively blaming foster parents, especially moms.”
He explains that in Illinois, when kids are taken into protective custody, the first big step is to create what’s called an integrated assessment. “It’s pretty rational, but if you’re not looking for a place where they inquire about the signs of RAD, you’re never going to find it,” Novick says.
The Urgent Need for Education on Reactive Attachment Disorder
All those involved in child welfare need education on reactive attachment disorder/developmental trauma disorder, and agencies need to step up to the plate to get these families and children the support they need.
Novick says: “We need to include RAD in the core training for every caseworker and investigator, and we need to be prepared to do what we have to do in terms of services.”
Feeling lost on the RAD parenting journey?
You’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Connect with RAD Advocates to find real answers from those who’ve walked this path, no matter where you are along the journey.