HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The county caseworkers who investigate child abuse in Pennsylvania are underpaid, inadequately trained, plagued by high turnover and face dangerous conditions, according to a report released Thursday that recommended changes to the system.

The auditor general office’s “State of the Child” study described the state child welfare system as swamped by a flood of new complaints and more demanding reporting rules generated by the Jerry Sandusky and clergy child sexual abuse scandals.

“The system itself is setting the kids and the caseworkers up for failure,” said Democratic Auditor General Eugene DePasquale.

He said 46 children died and 79 nearly died in the state last year, while spending on child protection was nearly $2 billion.

The state’s Department of Human Services should establish an independent ombudsman position to advocate for at-risk children, DePasquale said. An agency spokeswoman said it would consider the idea.

DePasquale also proposed improvements to training, reductions in paperwork and ways to put more caseworkers in the field.

He said paperwork rules imposed under new state laws mean caseworkers sometimes spend hours documenting short home visits, and that pressures of the job have caused many to leave.

“Overregulation and a shortage of critical resources have resulted in kids being left in situations that led to their deaths,” DePasquale said. “It’s that simple.”