(Photo by Stina Sieg-KJZZ)

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer tried to combat controversy over thousands of cases ignored by Child Protective Services. She announced the creation of an oversight committee.

(Photo by Stina Sieg-KJZZ)

Charles Flanagan, leader of the CARE team, at a press conference in December 2013.

Lawmakers, child advocates, a prosecutor, a former police chief – they are all part of Gov. Jan Brewer’s Child Advocate Response Examination Team. Known as the CARE Team, the independent oversight committee will look into more than 6,000 cases of neglect or abuse ignored by Child Protective Services in Arizona. Brewer said the group needs to restore the public’s faith in the child welfare system.

“Each case will be thoroughly and properly investigated to insure the safety of the children,” Brewer said. “The welfare of each child must be known. We will find out how it happened, and there will be accountability.”

Brewer added that she still supports CPS Director Clarence Carter, despite calls for him to resign. CARE Team member and state representative Kate Brophy McGee said the committee has a big job to do.

“And we will,” Brophy McGee said, “with integrity, commitment, transparency and a total focus on the welfare of the children, so callously set aside and forgotten. To them I say, 'We are finally here for you. To them I say, never again.'”

The thousands of neglected CPS cases were discovered in November. A deadline for the report on CPS has not been set.