Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) Director Candice Broce has criticized Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., for his recent campaign advertisement that highlights his work on the state's foster care system. Broce stated that Ossoff is overstating his contributions and using a critical child welfare issue for political advantage.
In the ad, titled "Our Kids," Ossoff references a bipartisan investigation into the Georgia foster care system, presenting his probe and new legislation as key accomplishments. However, Broce asserted that Ossoff has not secured additional funding for DFCS, nor has he resolved issues related to federal law affecting group homes or streamlined adoptions.
"For five years, I’ve been in the trenches fighting for vulnerable children and foster care reform alongside thousands of DFCS workers. Trust us when we say Jon Ossoff is nowhere to be found," Broce said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. She added that Ossoff did not secure more federal support for child advocacy centers despite the state’s requests and has not fixed federal law impacting group homes or improved adoption processes.
The Ossoff campaign responded to Broce's criticism, labeling her an "unqualified partisan political hack" and accusing her of "dangerous incompetence." The campaign pointed to Ossoff's oversight work, which they contend revealed that children in Georgia’s foster care system were potentially subjected to sex trafficking while under state care. They also cited testimony from juvenile court judges who accused Broce of suggesting that children with special needs be held in juvenile detention while DFCS searched for placements, allegations Broce has denied.
Broce defended her qualifications, citing her background as a health care attorney and her previous role overseeing approximately 40 state agencies, including DFCS. While acknowledging the challenges within Georgia's foster care system, she argued that Ossoff has focused on hearings, reports, and campaign messaging without providing substantive solutions.
"If you’re going to beat us down, show up with something to make it better," Broce said. "He didn’t do that." She suggested Ossoff could have leveraged his federal position to pursue resources for Medicaid, behavioral health access, and placement capacity, rather than solely spotlighting the agency's failures.
Broce contrasted Ossoff's approach with that of Georgia's other U.S. Senator, Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., citing Warnock's community events and adoption-related measures as examples of practical support she believes Ossoff has not delivered. "Compare his child welfare record to Warnock’s. It’s crystal clear which U.S. Senator from Georgia cares about vulnerable families and kids, and it’s not Jon," she stated.
Ossoff is seeking re-election in November against Republican challenger Mike Collins. Warnock is not up for reelection until 2028.