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SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — In an exclusive interview with 2News, a former Division of Child and Family Services worker is speaking out about what she describes as a "broken system" that is failing Utah families.

The whistleblower, who left the agency within the last two years, said caseworkers are overwhelmed by a lack of support and resources, which she attributes to insufficient funding from the Utah State Legislature.

In the wake of high-profile child abuse cases, including the death of a 12-year-old boy from West Haven, the whistleblower emphasized that caseworkers are doing their best under impossible conditions.

READ NEXT: Former DCFS worker calls Utah's child welfare system 'broken,' urges reform

"The people that work there, they're very passionate about it," she said. "But they're being placed with unrealistic expectations. It's unfair to put them in these situations where they don't have the time to produce quality work, or if they do decide to put in the time, they're sacrificing so much."

One of her main concerns was the unmanageable caseloads.

"There was a time where they had one person be responsible for any P2s that came in, meaning you have to respond within 24 hours. I received over five. That is just an impossible thing to do," she explained.

She added that this kind of pressure affects the quality of work and puts both caseworkers and families at risk.

DCFS Director...

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