new comer from kentucky

[guest]

Hi all, I am a new comer; but my case(nightmare) is been going on over a year now.
I wish I had known many things(that I've been finding while researching) before my child was removed.
My child was removed 9 months ago & placed in a "residential treatment" children's home. I've already been steam-rolled, had the home visits, been to court 4 times & "signed the treatment plans". A familiar tale I guess, I've been busy "trying to comply" & jump through hoops while time passes by. After reading here on the forum & other websites, I'm feeling very defeated & hopeless.
It's been a long while & I've been finding information (after the fact), so I'm sorry if I didnt include a lot of specifics; but this is what has happened in a nut shell.

Is the way that they operate not deceptive or illegal ? Is this an " unconscionable contract" ?

[Eljay]

Deceptive/illegal? It depends on what you're talking about.

"Unconscionable contract" is more of a tort/commercial law term. It doesn't really apply here.

Once you're in and have agreed to services, you really need to finish up that "term" of services, then make a move. Do you want help with that?

[guest]

I am complying , but open to suggestions or tips that are helpful.

[Eljay]

When does your current case plan come to a close? What were the allegations and how much is true/false? What is CPS saying they are planning on doing and when (reunification)?

[guest]

The social workers & the res. " therapist" at the group home haven't been real specific, but I've heard my child is supposed to come home this May (reunification is to be with me). Allegations, I believe is "dependancy" most is false, but I was steam-rolled & had my ex against me, which alot of the ex's quotes/statements were used in the social worker's reports in court & everything was virtually taken as fact. If/when my child is reunified with me (supposedly in May), the social workers said "they will be following up: making sure child is in school, seeing Dr.& so on - then, after a while case will be closed".

[monkette31]

...and then try and move. If they go after you again, the removal will be permanent.

[Eljay]

"dependency" isn't an allegation, it's a term used to describe a child that is/will be a ward of the state (in other words, CPS is going to allege that the parents can not or should not be the parents so the child should be a dependent of the state).

Allegations would be that you abused or neglected your child, or put him/her at risk of such by using drugs, abandoning them, exploiting them, etc.

[guest]

"dependency" isn't an allegation, it's a term used to describe a child that is/will be a ward of the state (in other words, CPS is going to allege that the parents can not or should not be the parents so the child should be a dependent of the state).

Allegations would be that you abused or neglected your child, or put him/her at risk of such by using drugs, abandoning them, exploiting them, etc.

sorry, guess it was "medical neglect ", my head felt like it was spinning & I was very nervous(being steamrolled) in court,I just remembered hearing "dependency" a lot. It doesn't seem that anything can be done to fight cps anyway. It seems that I was naive believing in amendments & civil rights.

[monkette31]

we all were, we constantly hear about our rights when it comes to the criminal side but when it comes to cps, people have no rights.

[Eljay]

If you've been going on for over a year and reunification is in May, then I would be pushing them for intermediate steps to reunification, such as more frequent visits, non-monitored visits, overnight stays, etc. Are they already doing that?

[guest]

yes, they are doing overnight visits & talking reunification; but they are stalling & keeping my child at the group home as long as possible with any excuse . The social workers don't like our "attitudes" because we are not "on board" with the taking of my child & ripping our family apart, so we are being punished; they are not wanting to help or do what's best for the child - but rather just dominate us. The main 2 goals in the plan have been accomplishes(1 of those making sure child was on meds) , but now the therapist at the group home is constantly reporting vague blanket statements like child is "inconsistent", "inappropriate" & "not always honest" ; which - even if these things were totally true, why couldn't the child see out patient counselor? The group home staff worker have even reported that my child has no behavioral issues or violent or any other issues & in fact is well behaved, articulate & well mannered.

[monkette31]

yes, now the group home wants your child to stay there for the income. This happens with many of the FFA/FFH homes our children end up in, the reports from the social workers at those places and the therapists that see our children and are paid by the state, only say how better the child will be better if left with them. Surprised they are not lying too. It sounds like your case is definitely going in the right direction with the home visits too. I hope you can get to your court date without them doing too much damage.

[guest]

thought that "Unconscionable contract" might be arguable since I never knowingly waived any civil rights/amendments or agreed to anything or didnt dispute so-called facts in reports & also things such as birth certificates being numbered under dept. of commerce a "corporation owned item/human resource" a "birth certificate of manifest" when born & is a security on the nyse market ; which people are not informed of - our parents & their parents...

[Eljay]

The concept doesn't really apply because the foundation for their actions is that when children are abused or neglected, the state-designated agency gets to take custody of the children and do whatever they want within the federal & state guidelines. You "agreed" to the conditions by living in the city/county/state/country.

[guest]

That's just 1 example of the sneaky ways that the system operates, I mean, who knows that they "agreed" to something just by living where they live?
Another example of what a sneaky, under-handed operation this is - that I recently had a meeting with cps & the social worker's boss blamed me for not being proactive;
although I have left several voice mails & faxes and have gotten no response at all. Also on these so called service plans, it says"have monthly home visits with soc.worker" & the worker hasn't been to my home since my child was "removed" in May 2011, but before they took my child they never missed one. I'm talking with ombudsman about this, has anyone had any success or positive experience speaking with ombudsman? And coincidentally the social worker was changed right before the meeting.

I am really shocked, desperate & discouraged and I do not want to seem negative; but putting it out there that cps violates amendments, statutes & laws , is it enough?
If mass people are educated, still what can they do? I hope there is a massive reform or some sort of checks & balance on the way cps operates & cps should be "policed" but will that ever happen? I've been holding on to hope & I like to think there is some, but is there really any chance that an "average joe" has a chance to fight - let alone win?
from my research it seems hopeless. I hope one day there is an end to cps's "I am God " or (above God) mentality & practices.

[Daruma]

I hope one day there is an end to cps's "I am God " or (above God) mentality & practices.

Not until we educate the public a lot better. We have to expose the truth: that CPS operates outside normal Constitutional guidelines, and that their intervention is not always warranted or benign.

[Eljay]

We all want to see CPS abuses stop, but this forum is moreso about helping folks with their own personal battle against CPS. Sure, there is information about actions you can take to try and bring about change on a bigger scale, but there are other websites for that (i.e. http://www.parentalrights.org/ and http://nccpr.info/ that are more focused on making a big change.