Philadelphia, April 19, 2011- Inspector General Amy L. Kurland released a report regarding the Philadelphia Prison System’s policies and procedures for placing the children of incarcerated women with the Mennonite Caregivers Group.rnrnPrior to the Office of Inspector General’s investigation, the prison system lacked formal policies for placing inmates’ children with authorized caregivers. For more than a decade, agencies operating in the prison system made informal custody arrangements with the Mennonites on the behalf of inmates, leaving children at risk of potential harm, according to the report.rnrnThe OIG found that the lack of a formal policy allowed those agencies to place inmates’ children with unlicensed caregivers who had not been vetted by the City’s child welfare system. The OIG recommended that the Philadelphia Prison System adopt policies to ensure that children born to incarcerated mothers are placed with licensed caregivers.rnrn“Every child deserves a safe place to live,†Kurland said. “To make that a reality, the City must hold every caregiver accountable.â€rnrnDuring the investigation, Philadelphia Prison System Commissioner Louis Giorla implemented a written policy, Procedural Directive 10-07, for prison social workers to follow when seeking to place inmates’ children with caregivers. Kurland applauded the prison system for putting the safeguards in place.rnrnThe OIG investigated the matter at the request of Commissioner Giorla and Department of Human Services Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose.