WICHITA, Kansas, June 20, 2008 -- Child advocacy groups gathered Friday to discuss whether social workers are too quick to take children away from their biological parents.

The groups, outraged over allegations that social workers in Sedgwick County are being bullied, called for a federal investigation.

"The people who are hurt most by this bullying are the children,” said Richard Wexler of the National Coalition for Child Protective Reform.

The controversy began when SRS Secretary Don Jordan made comments in a meeting with Citizens for Change. He blamed the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office for forcing state social workers to ramp up abuse claims in child custody cases.

"In Sedgwick County often times we end up writing things because it's what our social workers get bullied by the district attorney's office into writing,” Jordan said. “They really have no belief in what it says."

Vickie Burris with Citizens for Change says the issues go beyond Sedgwick County. She added that excessively removing children from their homes is a problem motivated by money.

"It's good for the city and the state for more kids to be taken away from their families because it justifies their jobs,” said Suzanne Shell with the American Family Advocacy Center. “If they were taking fewer cases away, they'd need fewer case workers, fewer judges, and fewer prosecutors. This is an industry, a billion dollar industry."

District Attorney Nola Foulston has denied any bullying and Don Jordan has since stepped back from his comments, saying he has no specific examples.

The group Citizens for Change is hosting a public forum Saturday at the Spirit One Christian Center to continue today's discussion.

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