KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The department in charge of keeping Kansas City children safe faces a crisis of its own.

As FOX4 first told you in February, Jackson County’s Children’s Division said it needs to hire dozens of people.

“We probably lost about half of our staff,” Abigail Walsh, investigator with Jackson County’s Children’s Division, said. “We are struggling to hire investigators and alternative care workers. What that means is we have less people to go out into the field and meet our children and families we work with.”

The Children’s Division told FOX4 there are kids in the system in serious need of adoption. However, with their current staffing crisis identifying those children takes a backseat to immediate needs.

The department held a hiring event in February, but there are still a lot of open positions, so Jackson County’s Children’s Division plans to hold another hiring fair.

Anyone with a bachelor’s degree can apply for an Associate Social Services Specialist in person. The department asks applicants to bring a resume, transcripts and three references.

Interviews will be held Wednesday, April 27, at the Teasdale Building, 8800 E. 63rd St., Raytown, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome, registration is not required. You can schedule an appointment by calling 816-889-2400.