Francesca LeRue, MSW

Francesca LeRúe received her MSW from California State University, Long Beach in 1994 and her MPA from California State University, Northridge in 2010. Ms. LeRúe is also a certified mediator. She has specialized in child welfare since 1987, beginning her career as a counselor in a residential group home for delinquent girls. In 1989, she moved on to work for Los Angeles County, Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Ms. LeRúe has served in many different capacities from a line worker to administrator, overseeing staff operations ranging in size from four to 85. She has experience in the areas of Emergency Response, Family Reunification, and Family Maintenance. Ms. LeRúe was a Budget Officer and Program Manager in Quality Assurance overseeing the program and fiscal audits of out of home care contract providers, as well child abuse and neglect investigations of foster children by out of home care providers. For seven years, Ms. LeRúe oversaw the Emergency Response Section which provides preventative services and child abuse and neglect investigations in 12 Los Angeles zip codes, including East Los Angeles. During this time, she developed a 16 session specialized ‘practice-based’ training for investigators.

Ms. LeRúe has presented and trained on the topic of investigations throughout the DCFS and also serves as a consultant and mentor to students, practitioners, and professionals in the area of child abuse and neglect investigations. She serves as an expert witness in the area of child abuse and neglect investigations for LA County DCFS. Ms. LeRúe has also served as a consultant to the Office of Management and Budget in conjunction with the Administration for Children’s Services in New York, New York as a specialist with a detailed focus on developing and implementing programs as they relate to the protection of children at risk of abuse and neglect.

Ms. LeRúe continues to work for LA County, DCFS as an Assistant Regional Administrator.