Brandon Nichols

As news headlines continue to chronicle emerging details regarding the suspicious death of 4-year-old Noah Cuatro in July, the second-in-command at the Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is stepping down.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday to bring an infusion of fresh talent and ideas into the ranks of its local child welfare professionals. The board unanimously approved a $1.2 million contract to fund five 18-month child welfare fellowships through Foster America, a fast-growing nonprofit led by a former foster youth with an impressive career in Washington, D.C.

The immensity of Los Angeles County’s foster care visitation challenge is hard to fathom. When a child is removed from the custody of his or her family due to abuse and neglect, a key part of the reunification process is ensuring that child can visit with his or her parent.

Los Angeles County, home to the nation’s largest locally-run child welfare system, is grappling with how to measure and respond to the risk that a child will be abused. At the heart of this confounding, complicated issue are two hard-to-answer questions.

Philip Browning’s five-year tenure as director of Los Angeles County’s Department of Children’s Services (DCFS) concludes tomorrow, and the search for his replacement is underway. Brandon Nichols, who served as chief deputy under Browning, was recently named acting director.

Brandon Nichols, a senior administrator with Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), was named on Thursday as interim head of the department, according to several county sources.