State Child Advocate Stepping Down

by Hudson Kamphausen CTNewsJunkie

HARTFORD, CT – Child Advocate Sarah Eagan on Thursday announced plans to resign in September from the post she has held for over 10 years.
Eagan, who was appointed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in 2013, said in a statement that with gratitude, she was announcing a “planned departure” from the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA).
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead this critical government agency, further transparency and accountability for publicly funded services for children, and advocate on behalf of the state’s children and families,” Eagan said. 

She thanked Malloy and Gov. Ned Lamont – both of whom appointed her during their terms – for the opportunity. 
Lamont said in a statement that he was grateful for Eagan’s work during her time in the office. 
“Sarah has been an extraordinary advocate on behalf of Connecticut’s children and her service to the state has been nothing but exceptional,” Lamont said. “During her tenure, she has always put the needs of children and their welfare first, and her advocacy has made a positive difference in establishing the appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that the rights of children and their best interests are always a top priority in Connecticut.”

Eagan led several headline-grabbing investigations during her tenure as child advocate, including most recently into failings in the special education system and adult sexual misconduct in Vernon schools.
Lamont said that the search would begin soon to find a successor for Eagan, who said in her statement that Associate Child Advocate Christina Ghio will serve as the Acting Child Advocate until a new Child Advocate is appointed.
“Finally, I want to acknowledge the commitment and efforts of every youth, family member, provider, state/local employee, advocate, and policymaker who raise their voice in service of a just and nurturing community,” her statement continued.

Eagan will be rejoining the Center for Children’s Advocacy (CCA) – where she worked as Director of the Child Abuse Project prior to her appointment to the OCA – as its new executive director.
The organization said in a statement that they are excited for Eagan to be rejoining their team. 
“We believe Sarah’s knowledge and expertise in systemic advocacy that is a hallmark of the Center’s mission and her passion for the organization will be assets during CCA’s continued growth,” said a statement from the organization. 

Eagan is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford and of the University of Connecticut Law School.