Overall Risk Level
error High Risk
Risk Flags
flag2017 Massachusetts state investigation into unreported child abuse/neglect incidents at the Walpole residential/school program led to probation and then voluntary surrender of residential and school licenses, closing the program
flagEmployee theft of approximately $50,000 was uncovered during the 2017 internal review that preceded the closure
flag2014 dispute with Walpole police over a ~7-hour delay in notifying police of an alleged sexual assault between residents at a Home-operated facility (Longview Farm)
flagTwo separate data security incidents (2019 and 2020-21) exposed personal information via compromised employee email accounts
flagActive 2025 civil lawsuit (Barnaby v. The Home for Little Wanderers, Inc., Middlesex Superior Court, case 2282CV00288)
Legal Issues
gavelBarnaby v. The Home for Little Wanderers, Inc. (2025, Middlesex Superior Court, case 2282CV00288)
gavelHistorical: Sylvander v. New England Home for Little Wanderers, 584 F.2d 1103 (1st Cir. 1978)
Ethical Concerns
policyEmployee reviews describe chronic understaffing and being assigned duties outside role/pay scope
policyReviews cite a lack of transparency between upper management and direct-care staff
BBB RatingNot BBB Accredited; no letter grade published
Employee Sentiment
6.4
out of 10
Management7.0
Career Development7.0
thumb_up Common Praises
- add_circle Meaningful, mission-driven work
- add_circle Strong onboarding and ongoing training
- add_circle Supportive front-line coworkers and supervisors
- add_circle Generous PTO and free CEU/training access
- add_circle Room for internal advancement given organization size
thumb_down Common Complaints
- remove_circle Low pay not competitive with comparable agencies
- remove_circle Chronic understaffing leading to burnout
- remove_circle Inconsistent support from upper management
- remove_circle Staff assigned duties outside job scope without added pay
- remove_circle High productivity/documentation demands