Thank you for suggesting that I write to United Way, an umbrella organization for charities, to ask just how they manage to classify child-kidnapping JF&CS as a charity (and grant them millions of dollars!). I am writing them the following letter, and I would very much like the feedback of readers, and ideas on how to make the letter more effective.
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Dear United Way,
I would like to tell you about an unfortunate experience my family have had with Jewish Family and Child Services (JF&CS). I believe that this organization's activities are not consistent with United Way's mission statement "To meet urgent human needs and improve social conditions..." I urge you to reconsider their membership in United Way.
In July 2010, I began my new job in [censored]. My wife, my 3 year-old son, and I moved from Japan to Toronto for this purpose. My wife was 32 weeks pregnant with our second child.
The way JF&CS became involved is as follows. My wife's pregnancy had been classified as "high risk" in Japan because of the position of the placenta, but because we didn't immediately have medical insurance, no obstetrician agreed to see her, and we were unsuccessful in obtaining a referal. My wife became very depressed about this, and, given that she was soon to give birth, I recommended that she seek anti-depressant medication in order to at least be happier while we weren't getting the medical care which we needed. To obtain the medication, we were refered to a psychiatrist, who after a 20 minute interview which seemed to centre on questions about our financial and social situation, decided that my wife had "Major Depressive Disorder" and "history of Post-Partum Depression", neither of which is correct. Additionally, my wife disclosed that she had slapped our son on one occasion. The psychiatrist reported us to JF&CS.
JF&CS aggressively demanded that we allow them to investigate. I was not cooperative, because of their attitude and because the psychitrist's report has no basis in reality. They threatened to take my son away, and various legal sanctions.
We were new in the country, but we quickly managed to find a lawyer. The legal advice was to allow them to investigate, so we did. They decided, on the basis of the psychiatrist's report, to attempt to force us to sign onto one of their Orwellian-titled "Happy Mothers Happy Children" programmes. They indicated that they would be involved with our family for a long time.
Thank goodness I had the courage and the presence of mind to ignore everybody's advice, and to aggressively seek out a second opinion by a much more senior psychiatrist. The second report, based on a much more thorough interview with my wife, confirmed that the initial report was without basis in reality. This did not stop JF&CS from harassing us.
The ordeal of being investigated by the JF&CS was terrifying. In the middle of it, my wife gave birth, and we had to deal with the JF&CS also in the hospital, on top of the medical issues having to do with childbirth, with "undiagnosed" placenta previa.
Before long I decided to force the case closed by taking legal action, using the second psychiatrist's report, and by involving the Japanese consulate. I was successful.
I found the JF&CS to be unprofessional, nasty, and bullying in their interactions with us. The case was expensive and difficult for us, and all things considered, was little more than a waste of our money, of United Way's money, and of the money of the people of Toronto. I have no reason to think that our case is in any way exceptional, or that JF&CS are more professional in any of its other interactions with families than they have been with us. They are a group of vile bullies, and I'm surprised and shocked that the United Way, an umbrella organization for charities, supports them in any way.
Yours sincerely,
Letter to United Way
Moderators: family_man, LindaJM
Re: Letter to United Way
Excellent letter. I would encourage you to send it.
These are my personal opinions only. They are not legal, medical, or financial advice.
Re: Letter to United Way
Sent.
I wonder who in the Ontario legislature might be interested... do you know? I should actually ask on a separate thread...
I wonder who in the Ontario legislature might be interested... do you know? I should actually ask on a separate thread...
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Beatthescammers
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Re: Letter to United Way
Daruma wrote:Excellent letter. I would encourage you to send it.
Ditto this.^
Re: Letter to United Way
The letter seems to have had some effect- the head of child protection at JF&CS would like to meet me, and has to report the content of the meeting to United Way. I'd say that's a pretty-much optimal outcome. I'll schedule the meeting for next week, or the week after. Any tips on what to say?
Re: Letter to United Way
Congratulations on getting some response from United Way. I've been aware for a long time that United Way collects money for pro-CPS organizations so of course I would never donate to them.
Knowing that they have some accountability for these organizations helps!
I'd prepare a written statement. Something they would know there's a copy of that they could not deny getting. No self-incriminatory statements ever, please! But point out the poor "service" and the people involved.
I'd expect the head of the organization to gloss over your pain and minimize negative reports. Let me know if I'm wrong. I'd think this person would have the skills of a politician to twist information around to make the organization look like a benefit to all, perhaps saying your case was an isolated incident.
Knowing that they have some accountability for these organizations helps!
I'd prepare a written statement. Something they would know there's a copy of that they could not deny getting. No self-incriminatory statements ever, please! But point out the poor "service" and the people involved.
I'd expect the head of the organization to gloss over your pain and minimize negative reports. Let me know if I'm wrong. I'd think this person would have the skills of a politician to twist information around to make the organization look like a benefit to all, perhaps saying your case was an isolated incident.
Sample Document Library
Please keep in mind that none of us are lawyers and we can't give legal advice. We are simply telling you what we would do in a similar situation. It is to your advantage to get a lawyer.
"Evil flourishes when good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke ... so try to do something to change the system ...
Please keep in mind that none of us are lawyers and we can't give legal advice. We are simply telling you what we would do in a similar situation. It is to your advantage to get a lawyer.
"Evil flourishes when good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke ... so try to do something to change the system ...
Re: Letter to United Way
Thank you so much!!! That's an excellent idea.
Note that my wife and children are outside the country and hence well outside the JFCS's grasp, so I have nothing to fear from the JFCS right now.
I've written this draft- I would be extremely grateful for any feedback at all you could give:
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Abstract:
The JFCS investigation into our home, based solely on a dubious psychiatric report, was marked by a lack of courtesy and professionalism, and was accomplished by means of threats and of intimidation. The JFCS caused myself, my wife, and my son distress, stress, and discomfort.
Content:
I was disatisfied with the following aspects of the JFCS's investigation.
- Getting involved on the basis of a dubious report.
JFCS's intervention was based on a psychiatrist's report which gave no evidence of injury or of imminent danger to my son. The psychiatrist had met my wife only once, at our instigation when we sought anti-depressant medication, and had conducted no diagnostic tests.
- Lack of accurate, timely information regarding:
1) The nature and purpose of the JFCS investigation.
2) Our rights.
3) The powers of the JFCS.
I repeatedly requested such information, and was finally refered to the Ontario Child Protection Act, which answered only some of the above questions and only partially.
- Lack of written notification
We were not notified in writing of a file having been opened, nor of the file having been closed. None of the JFCS's findings were ever reported to us. We possess no record by the JFCS of an investigation ever having been conducted.
- Lack of courtesy and lack of professionalism
The JFCS claimed they were forced by law to enter our home, violating our fourth amendment rights. The entry, and the attitute accompanying it, was aggressive, unprofessional, and discourteous. At no point did the JFCS caseworker apologise for having entered our home, nor did she respect the rules of our home (shoes off at the entrance) until told to do so twice explicitly. We were made very much aware that she was in charge, had limitless powers, and that we had better be very afraid of the JFCS. Indeed, the JFCS has never shown any remorse for any aspect of the investigation.
- Threats and intimidation
In our first telephone conversation, I firmly refused to allow the JFCS into our home. I was threatened with immediate legal action (too quickly to have time to hire a lawyer), and told that if I refused access to my son, the JFCS had the right to take him. None of our concerns were addressed. The caseworker told me of how she had come to parents homes with police to take children, and how going to court would lead us into "trouble". How much leniency the JFCS would extend to us depended on her level of "concern", and I had heightened her "concern" by not cooperating.
It was repeatedly reinforced that we should be ashamed of the investigation, and it was best for us if it were kept secret.
During the investigation, we were told how my wife's right to travel could be curtailed, and were ordered to manage our children's sleeping arrangements in a certain way, implying that there would be consequences if we were to fail to do so.
My wife's discharge from hospital after giving birth was made conditional on the JFCS approval. We were made to feel that if my wife showed any vulnerability at all, once, we might lose our newborn daughter.
- Failure to disclose information
In early August, I requested disclosure of our files. I did not receive them. All of my requests for information regarding the JFCS investigation have consistently been ignored or turned down.
- Proceeding with the investigation after lack of risk to the child was ascertained.
Even after we had gone to a much more senior psychiatrist, who had worked closely with the JFCS in the past, and after the JFCS investigations had revealed no risk to our son, and the first psychiatrist's report had proved to be without basis, the JFCS continued to investigate and to force visits, with the express purpose of forcing us to sign onto a service plan which we had clearly stated that we did not want.
- Harmful effect on our family
The JFCS investigation took place during the final weeks of my wife's pregnancy and the first weeks after childbirth, after we had just come to Canada. It caused us considerable distress, fear, and lack of sleep. The investigation was highly traumatic, and significantly impacted the emotional wellbeing of us and of our son.
Note that my wife and children are outside the country and hence well outside the JFCS's grasp, so I have nothing to fear from the JFCS right now.
I've written this draft- I would be extremely grateful for any feedback at all you could give:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract:
The JFCS investigation into our home, based solely on a dubious psychiatric report, was marked by a lack of courtesy and professionalism, and was accomplished by means of threats and of intimidation. The JFCS caused myself, my wife, and my son distress, stress, and discomfort.
Content:
I was disatisfied with the following aspects of the JFCS's investigation.
- Getting involved on the basis of a dubious report.
JFCS's intervention was based on a psychiatrist's report which gave no evidence of injury or of imminent danger to my son. The psychiatrist had met my wife only once, at our instigation when we sought anti-depressant medication, and had conducted no diagnostic tests.
- Lack of accurate, timely information regarding:
1) The nature and purpose of the JFCS investigation.
2) Our rights.
3) The powers of the JFCS.
I repeatedly requested such information, and was finally refered to the Ontario Child Protection Act, which answered only some of the above questions and only partially.
- Lack of written notification
We were not notified in writing of a file having been opened, nor of the file having been closed. None of the JFCS's findings were ever reported to us. We possess no record by the JFCS of an investigation ever having been conducted.
- Lack of courtesy and lack of professionalism
The JFCS claimed they were forced by law to enter our home, violating our fourth amendment rights. The entry, and the attitute accompanying it, was aggressive, unprofessional, and discourteous. At no point did the JFCS caseworker apologise for having entered our home, nor did she respect the rules of our home (shoes off at the entrance) until told to do so twice explicitly. We were made very much aware that she was in charge, had limitless powers, and that we had better be very afraid of the JFCS. Indeed, the JFCS has never shown any remorse for any aspect of the investigation.
- Threats and intimidation
In our first telephone conversation, I firmly refused to allow the JFCS into our home. I was threatened with immediate legal action (too quickly to have time to hire a lawyer), and told that if I refused access to my son, the JFCS had the right to take him. None of our concerns were addressed. The caseworker told me of how she had come to parents homes with police to take children, and how going to court would lead us into "trouble". How much leniency the JFCS would extend to us depended on her level of "concern", and I had heightened her "concern" by not cooperating.
It was repeatedly reinforced that we should be ashamed of the investigation, and it was best for us if it were kept secret.
During the investigation, we were told how my wife's right to travel could be curtailed, and were ordered to manage our children's sleeping arrangements in a certain way, implying that there would be consequences if we were to fail to do so.
My wife's discharge from hospital after giving birth was made conditional on the JFCS approval. We were made to feel that if my wife showed any vulnerability at all, once, we might lose our newborn daughter.
- Failure to disclose information
In early August, I requested disclosure of our files. I did not receive them. All of my requests for information regarding the JFCS investigation have consistently been ignored or turned down.
- Proceeding with the investigation after lack of risk to the child was ascertained.
Even after we had gone to a much more senior psychiatrist, who had worked closely with the JFCS in the past, and after the JFCS investigations had revealed no risk to our son, and the first psychiatrist's report had proved to be without basis, the JFCS continued to investigate and to force visits, with the express purpose of forcing us to sign onto a service plan which we had clearly stated that we did not want.
- Harmful effect on our family
The JFCS investigation took place during the final weeks of my wife's pregnancy and the first weeks after childbirth, after we had just come to Canada. It caused us considerable distress, fear, and lack of sleep. The investigation was highly traumatic, and significantly impacted the emotional wellbeing of us and of our son.
Re: Letter to United Way
On Thursday, I spoke at length with the head of Child Protection at JFCS, responsible single-handedly for taking 93 children so far in 2011 alone and putting them up for adoption. She was very competent, spoke very well, and said all the right things. She's obviously very good at her job.
I got a carefully-worded apology "for how you felt", but she didn't admit procedural errors anywhere, and insisted that the JFCS had acted properly at every juncture, and that our problems were as a result of us not being cooperative with them and not taking advantage of our right to come before a court. I really have nothing to go on, because her answers are pretty watertight. Indeed, we did have the option of coming before a judge...
There are a few things that I understood from this very interesting interaction. One is that the people at the top really are very good at their jobs, and are formidable opponents in a legal context, because they know all the ways in which the laws are tailored to making their jobs easier. She explained to me, for example, how it was right and just to take a child from a dirty house, and put them up for adoption, and moreover to keep the criteria by which they judge "dirty" a secret (this had nothing directly to do with our case). And yes... it makes sense... except that it's legalized kidnapping.
More centrally, I understood that my letter to United Way really had stung them. Such techniques are extremely effective, because they dent the veneer of "Mother Theresa organization of kindness and compassion". Also, I understood that taking them to court would have been tremendously effective, and that they would almost surely have backed down, in reality. And I understood that I was dealing with higher-level professionals than I had been banking on, at least at the top.
There's a pretty clear plan forming in my mind for how one can practically stop these legalized kidnappings cold. With enough resources, have a vollunteer group of parents who know all the CPS regulations, and can come in and brief families 24 hours before a CPS officer comes- and clean up for them, and do anything else to bring that family "below the intervention line". And make sure that caseworker conduct is reported, and that the worst caseworker abuses end up with that caseworker behind bars, as an example to other. The CPS would never manage to meet their huge quotas, their funding would decrease, and... well, I see potential here. I can even see it helping the CPS in a strange twisted way, and I can imagine them feeling forced to express support for such a group, whose stated purpose parallels their own- "in the best interests of the child".
I got a carefully-worded apology "for how you felt", but she didn't admit procedural errors anywhere, and insisted that the JFCS had acted properly at every juncture, and that our problems were as a result of us not being cooperative with them and not taking advantage of our right to come before a court. I really have nothing to go on, because her answers are pretty watertight. Indeed, we did have the option of coming before a judge...
There are a few things that I understood from this very interesting interaction. One is that the people at the top really are very good at their jobs, and are formidable opponents in a legal context, because they know all the ways in which the laws are tailored to making their jobs easier. She explained to me, for example, how it was right and just to take a child from a dirty house, and put them up for adoption, and moreover to keep the criteria by which they judge "dirty" a secret (this had nothing directly to do with our case). And yes... it makes sense... except that it's legalized kidnapping.
More centrally, I understood that my letter to United Way really had stung them. Such techniques are extremely effective, because they dent the veneer of "Mother Theresa organization of kindness and compassion". Also, I understood that taking them to court would have been tremendously effective, and that they would almost surely have backed down, in reality. And I understood that I was dealing with higher-level professionals than I had been banking on, at least at the top.
There's a pretty clear plan forming in my mind for how one can practically stop these legalized kidnappings cold. With enough resources, have a vollunteer group of parents who know all the CPS regulations, and can come in and brief families 24 hours before a CPS officer comes- and clean up for them, and do anything else to bring that family "below the intervention line". And make sure that caseworker conduct is reported, and that the worst caseworker abuses end up with that caseworker behind bars, as an example to other. The CPS would never manage to meet their huge quotas, their funding would decrease, and... well, I see potential here. I can even see it helping the CPS in a strange twisted way, and I can imagine them feeling forced to express support for such a group, whose stated purpose parallels their own- "in the best interests of the child".
Re: Letter to United Way
DANZ please check this out:
Loving having finally the opportunity to encounter someone like you. Thanking God.
The 14 Amendment to the Constitution section 2:
NO STATE SHALL MAKE OR ENFORCE ANY LAW WHICH SHALL ABRIDGE THE PRIVILEDGES AND IMMUNITIES OF CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES; NOR SHALL ANY STATE DEPRIVE ANY PERSON OF LIFE, LIBERTY OR PROPERTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW; NOR DENY TO ANY PERSON WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS.
Hear this:
we got the last part, innocent until proven guilty
understanding the middle part at least part of it
not yet begun to define priviledges and immunities.
HELP! THESE ARE THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS!
What do you think?
ALSO FYI I was so touched by your eloquence and wisdom, patience,fortitude, and committment. BLESS YOU!
Please hang in there for us, and keep posting, you are an important key to the future progress of putting these
buggers, who threaten to kidnap children in their place.
Please reply here, I really need to network with people like you____Your help is huge, thanks for sharing on here, and I have no wish to burden you further. But only if you can...thanks.
I know I cant wait to start the healing process with my son, after all of these days of wounding.
Loving having finally the opportunity to encounter someone like you. Thanking God.
The 14 Amendment to the Constitution section 2:
NO STATE SHALL MAKE OR ENFORCE ANY LAW WHICH SHALL ABRIDGE THE PRIVILEDGES AND IMMUNITIES OF CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES; NOR SHALL ANY STATE DEPRIVE ANY PERSON OF LIFE, LIBERTY OR PROPERTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW; NOR DENY TO ANY PERSON WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS.
Hear this:
we got the last part, innocent until proven guilty
understanding the middle part at least part of it
not yet begun to define priviledges and immunities.
HELP! THESE ARE THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS!
What do you think?
ALSO FYI I was so touched by your eloquence and wisdom, patience,fortitude, and committment. BLESS YOU!
Please hang in there for us, and keep posting, you are an important key to the future progress of putting these
buggers, who threaten to kidnap children in their place.
Please reply here, I really need to network with people like you____Your help is huge, thanks for sharing on here, and I have no wish to burden you further. But only if you can...thanks.
I know I cant wait to start the healing process with my son, after all of these days of wounding.
No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Re: Letter to United Way
annakenc:
Thank you for your reply.
I don't recommend arguing for "rights of the parents" because that would be playing their game. They will argue "rights of the children", and it will be set up as "parents vs. children" which is just how they would love to pose these cases. So I think it's playing right into their hands to argue for parents rights.
What I do think that one can do is to argue that the children have the right to be with their parents- frame it as us, the parents, protecting our children against the CPS. That's not the fight they want. They don't want to have to be forced to argue that the children have the right to... ummm... be abducted by social workers and put into foster care?
Please do work on healing this awful trauma with your son... what a terrible thing to have been through for both of you!
Thank you for your reply.
I don't recommend arguing for "rights of the parents" because that would be playing their game. They will argue "rights of the children", and it will be set up as "parents vs. children" which is just how they would love to pose these cases. So I think it's playing right into their hands to argue for parents rights.
What I do think that one can do is to argue that the children have the right to be with their parents- frame it as us, the parents, protecting our children against the CPS. That's not the fight they want. They don't want to have to be forced to argue that the children have the right to... ummm... be abducted by social workers and put into foster care?
Please do work on healing this awful trauma with your son... what a terrible thing to have been through for both of you!
Re: Letter to United Way
Thanks for the touch of empathy, and the advice you give is sound. Thanks, I believe you are right.
I thought about the United Way too when this began for me, because they seem to be an organization with a peaceful reputation, I may try something similar to what you did. It has come to my attention that the director of the local United
Way is an old classmate of mine. Maybe he'll make some waves if I tell him what happened.
Best wishes, I know you can never forget what has happened, but I hope these experience will result in positive change for us all here in this land.
I thought about the United Way too when this began for me, because they seem to be an organization with a peaceful reputation, I may try something similar to what you did. It has come to my attention that the director of the local United
Way is an old classmate of mine. Maybe he'll make some waves if I tell him what happened.
Best wishes, I know you can never forget what has happened, but I hope these experience will result in positive change for us all here in this land.
No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
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