Please read this and tell me what I can do!

[JessicaInTX]

It all started May 3rd 2005, my daughter was only about 7 months old, when a woman came to my front door carrying a folder and saying she was from Children's Protective Services. She said she had received a report that I was routinely drinking, taking prescription medication, using cocaine, and smoking pot. Well, I had indeed been a regular pot smoker since the age of 14 and discontinued smoking during my entire pregnancy and began smoking again when I stopped breastfeeding. ANYWAYS...

She then proceeded to tell me that she would need to take a look around in my house. I showed her all of the bedrooms in my house. All of them were messy except my daughter's room, the kitchen and the living room. My room is always a mess, which I didn't see as being a big deal considering my daughter couldn't even crawl yet.

When she was done looking at the house and asking me all of her questions she said she would have to call her boss or whatever to find out if it would be necissarry to drug test me. A few minutes later she informs me that I would indeed have to come downtown immediately with my daughter and take a drug test. I was freightened because I knew I had smoked pot that very morning while my daughter was still asleep! I asked her if I could contact my lawyer first and she said I would still be required to go down right away for a drug test. I was scared, so her tactics worked.

Once we got there the woman who watches you urinate was about to take her lunch break. I am informed that I will have to wait an hour or so until I can take the test. I even told the caseworker (Cynthia Newsome(sp?)) that I would be late for work and probably fired if I had to wait on the other woman to get back from lunch. So after crying and pleading with them to just let me take the test the next day so I wouldn't lose my job (and also to give me time to attempt to clean my system) they worked me in. how considerate.

Of course I came up positive for marijuana and nothing else because I hadn't been doing anything else. I was then coerced into signing the safety agreement thing or whatever. I agreed to take a drug class, parenting classes, go to NA, and battered women meetings because i had revealed that my daughter's father was incarcerated for abusing me. This was all obviously for the greater good, right? I mean, I had to spend 75 bucks on the parenting class alone!

My daughter's father was released from jail, and we were working things out. In fact, we took the parenting class together as a stipulation of his probation and my CPS caseload.

Then I find out I'm pregnant again. I also find out that the drug classes will cost me over 100 dollars. Mind you, I hadn't used drugs since that initial drug test.

I enrolled in college that fall, was working on the side and everything. Then my car breaks down. No time or money for drug classes.

This is the really MESSED UP PART....

I start getting more calls come in saying that I have chickens in my backyard that bite my dog so they could very well peck my daughter. Then after my second daughter is born, I get allegations that I am using drugs in front of my daughter and my son, although i don't even have a son!!!!

So in case it isn't obvious enough, my boyfriend's girls on the side are calling CPS on me. Jealousy can be a viscious thing.

Anyways, my boyfriend had been secretly smoking pot while on probation, unbeknownst to myself, and had failed several drug tests. One day I let him use my recently repaired car to go in for his monthly UA. I get a call 4 hours later from the county jail. My car is sitting at the probation office. My boyfriend in jail for over a year.

I make the money to pay off a few old speeding tickets I had so I could get a new driver's license and take my drug class and get all this CPS bullshit over with. The same day I pay off the old warrants, I go to the DMV and get my new license. No more than three blocks away, my car breaks down again. This was about a month and a half ago.

Yesterday I finally got good news. I called my Grandmother who knows nothing of the CPS shennanigans, and she informs me that she is buying me a new car because, in her words, "God told me I needed to do something to help my grandbaby". I was ecstatic. Finally, I would be able to work again, take my kids to daycare, get on my feet and go take those stupid drug classes. I called my caseworker immediately to tell her the good news. She congratulated me and told me to keep in touch and let her know when my drug classes were completed. Excellent.

Then today while my dad's gf was watching my daughters, a different caseworker shows up, tells my dad's gf about some new allegations that my house was unfit for children to live in, that there are beer cans and drugs laying around everywhere. She then proceeded to take pictures of my children without my consent or presence. #1, I know it can not be legal for her to tell someone else about these allegations without my permission. #2, I spoke to a lawyer and he told me that it was also illegal for her to take pictures of my children without my presence and permission.

Now, I can't afford a lawyer but I would really like to sue the pants off of CPS. I have proof that these allegations were made by a girl seeking retaliation (e-mails, etc..) and I'd pretty much like to sue her as well. My children are in excellent health and are very well taken care of.

Can anyone refer me to a lawyer in Houston that may be willing to help with the situation? I am tired of the system screwing me and my family over and I'm ready for it to stop NOW. Just because I am not rich and cannot afford a lawyer doesn't give them the right to violate mine and my children's rights.

[florida999]

the people calling cps on you are girls your boyfriend is fooling around with behind your back? I would get away from him permantly, just my opinion.

[JessicaInTX]

yeah, definitely, he's in jail anyways but yeah, I am definitely single, haha...

I blame myself for most of what I'm going through because I know if I wasn't smoking in the first place none of this would be happening but I also blame him for getting involved with these types of females. Or any female besides myself for that matter....

[florida999]

all you can really do now is stop smoking pot, try to keep the house clean, and when the boyfriend gets out of jail.....stay away, he will only do more harm then good.

[pamom2crew]

Have u tried calling a civil lawyer to sue them?
You need to stay away from drugs and anyone you know who uses them.
Your girls go to daycare, correct? If so, make sure they see your girls looking "perfect" everyday, and have them send statements to your cw about how well they are doing and everything.
Be sure to keep all dr. appts. and up to date on all shots.
Make sure your house is clean and clutter free at all times.
Make sure you keep plenty of food in your house, and everything child-proofed.
And be sure not too miss any appts. or classes, it seems as though you may have a cw who is really working with you well.
Them taking pictures is illegal, but not much you can do about it.
You can request everything from your file though, including the pictures...so u at least know what pictures were taken

[DontBiteMyNose]

Prime example. Let this be a lesson to NEVER EVER let the goons in your homes, nor cooperate. They have no authority. So what if someone smokes pot. Alcohol and cigarettes are MUCH MUCH more dangerous.

In my opinion (and I'm no lawyer), you better get yourself an attorney and don't cooperate anymore, or they'll snatch the kid. I promise you that.

[Anonymous]

Prime example. Let this be a lesson to NEVER EVER let the goons in your homes, nor cooperate. They have no authority. So what if someone smokes pot. Alcohol and cigarettes are MUCH MUCH more dangerous.

In my opinion (and I'm no lawyer), you better get yourself an attorney and don't cooperate anymore, or they'll snatch the kid. I promise you that.

Thats for sure.. dont trust DCF/CPS

[GamerXY]

Hey Jessica, Sorry to about your experience with CPS.

First I want to acknowledge your accomplishment so far. You've quit weed since having your first child. You've worked really hard to meet the demanding standards set by your caseworker while trying to maintain your job and your schooling. Please don't give up now. Trust me, your original caseworker should see the effort you put into it.

Anyway, as a social worker intern at CPS in California, here are some tips I observed that may help you in your case.

Read the brochure about your rights (should be given to you by your caseworker during the initial contact).

i.e. We are not entitled to enter your home without your permission. However, it is also true that it will look bad on your case if you deny our entry. However, if you believe that the caseworker would see things in your house that will make you look bad...ask them to come back at another time.

Also, AFAIK...I cannot take pictures of clients as documentation...that can only be done by accompany law enforcement or public health nurse (in California). If you ever that your rights have been violated, contact the supervisor of the caseworker. And yes, disclosing your allegation to your dad's gf is a violation of confidentiality to me. You may even want file for a formal complaint against the county (see "Your Rights" pamphlet).

Other things you may want to look into are free AOD (alcohol or drug) and parenting classes that offered by or in contract with the county. If transportation is an issue, ask your caseworker for free bus passes.

Since you mentioned that you are in school, have you checked out the grants and subsidized loans that it has? Hopefully that will ease up your financial burden.

And as suggested by others, please stay away from that guy even after he gets out. Or better yet, stay away from guys like him...that type of guys will only make you look bad in your case.

Make friends at your AOD or parenting class (especially the instructor/counselor). Use them as positive references if possible.

Whatever you do...don't give up.

[Marina]

How does a client deal with the issue of confidentiality in the counseling and classes.

Is the counselor an agent of the social agency and the court?
Or is the counselor an agent of the parent?

If the social agency pays for the counseling or similar services, does the agency own the report and have access to the counselor or other provider as a court witness?

If the court orders the counseling or similar services, does the court own the report, and does the court have access to the counselor or other provider as a witness?

If services are provided from a private provider and paid for by the client, are the reports confidential or subject to the court, while the parent is involved in a child welfare case?

How can a client control the potential "confrontation" and "interpretations" of the service provider? Based on the experiences of many parents, the unpredictable nature of the "services" seems to be a barrier to parents.

[DontBiteMyNose]

However, it is also true that it will look bad on your case if you deny our entry. However, if you believe that the caseworker would see things in your house that will make you look bad...ask them to come back at another time.

Another example why one should never cooperate. The 4th Amendment wasn't created to protect the guilty, but the innocent.