In the state of Missouri, the Department of Social Services Children's Division investigates child abuse and neglect every day. Workers are expected to go into dangerous neighborhoods and homes to assure child safety. Many of these visits are conducted alone. Children's Division employees do not receive any self defense training and are not allowed to take any defensive tools with them-including pepper spray. 

In an article by CBS News, social work was listed as the 20th most dangerous job in America, stating for every 100,000 workers, at least one is killed in the line of duty. In 2017, a social worker was killed outside of a DCFS office in Vermont (CBS, 2017). 

In Illinois on the 6th day of 2022, a DCFS worker was stabbed to death while on a call. 

An internet search will provide articles from numerous states detailing crimes against social workers.

In Missouri, those who work in Probation and Parole are provided with vests to keep them safe while working in the field, whereas Children's Division workers are given a clipboard. This petition is demanding the safety of those who protect Missouri's most vulnerable population, because they deserve to be safe too. At a starting salary of around $33,000, these employees deserve at least protection on the job.