"Devil's" Advocate- The other side of CPS

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Hope11
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"Devil's" Advocate- The other side of CPS

Postby Hope11 » Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:38 pm

Hi everyone. I am a college student who is currently studying child psychology as well as working with traumatized children. I came across this site while I was researching a paper on child abuse and CPS. I read many of the postings and commentary, and it is clear that the general opinion on this site is that families always belong together, and CPS is in the wrong by trying to go in and separate children from their biological homes. While I understand that there is abuse that occurs in foster homes, and that sometimes children are taken when perhaps they shouldn't have, I would like everyone to just take a minute to look at the other side:

In 2004 only 6 deaths were attributed to foster parents, accounting for .6% of child deaths as a result of abuse/neglect. On the other hand 774 children died at the hands of one or both biological parents, accounting for 78.9% of deaths because of abuse/neglect. Of that 14.4% of children who died at the hands of their parents had CPS involvement in the past five years. 1.7% of children removed and then returned to the home in 2004 died at the hands of their “loving” biological families. Where is the outrage there? Why were these children returned to abusive homes?

I’ll tell you why, this country is willing to sacrifice the well-being and safety of a child for the parental rights of biological parents. Becoming a parent is not a right, it is a privilege. Ask anyone who was unable to conceive children, or who have had children who’ve died, it was a privilege to raise them. Parents who abuse their children, abuse the privilege of being able to raise and love them, and should have their children taken away. Children should not have to suffer abuse from those who are supposed to love them best, because well it’s a parents “right” to do whatever they want. Children are currently the most oppressed members of society. They have no rights, and their well-being and futures are determined by the adults around them. CPS has an obligation to act in the best of interest of these children. Whether that means requiring parents to take education classes, drug abuse programs, anger management etc., or removing the children from the home, I promise you CPS is not an organization looking to destroy families, it is an organization looking to protect and serve children.

Some people spoke of the money available to foster families. Yeah, right. My family is a foster family for 3 special needs children and I’ll tell you right now, we’re lucky if we break even. My mother gives these children everything that was made available to us, CPS simply covers the basics, which is hardly enough.

I understand the many flaws of CPS, but this website makes the dangerous assumption that the flaws are all on the end of destroying families and removing children, as well as the horrors of foster care. There are flaws on both end, and it is a fact that many more children are abused in their biological homes than at the hands of foster families. The only way to better protect the children is reform from both ends. Perhaps CPS should become a branch of law enforcement, perhaps laws should be re-written… whatever the solution, the message needs to be clear: we as a country are dedicated to the well-being of our nations children, and we will not tolerate the abuse or neglect of any child, from anyone.



References:
http://www.jimhopper.com/abstats/

Gary Shaw
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Postby Gary Shaw » Sat Dec 02, 2006 2:27 pm

Hope,

There are many references on this site that acknowledge Child Abuse and Neglect DO exist, IS wrong, and SHOULD be dealt with severely. You and many other Social Worker/CPS types seemed to be determined to group all parents under ONE label "unfit". Your kind seem to think; Parents need the government to tell them how to raise theri children and children need the government to protect them from their demented parents. To show my bi-lingual expertise I reply, "toro caca."

If you would bother to read further than a few posts, and read with an open mind, you will find that the complaint here is not about affording protection to an abused or neglected child. The complaint is the UNLAWFUL and UNCONSTITUTIONAL manner that CPS operates.

Your link to jimhopper's website that basically seems to be for the purpose of patting himself on the back (hope he doesn't get rotor cup damage) and soliciting future business; does lead one to the NCANDS website of the Children's Bureau. The narrow minded and demented people that post regularly on this site are constantly referring to the ACF websites. It is where we get our numbers, also.

Again if you bother to study the statistics you will see that just barely over one half of all the states report information to NCANDS. You will also see that because of this illegal lack of reporting (Title IV B and IV E Social Security Act require reporting by all states in certain information categories in accord with CAPTA) the statistics in Child Maltreatment Reports is estimated by taking the data from the reporting states and calculating the statistics for the non-reporting states. Unfortunately the non-reporting states are the high population states. The statistics as reported do seem to have a certain relevance to accuracy.

The death of even one child, at the hands of a parent, caregiver or any person is a tragic event. If in fact it was caused by another person thru abuse or neglect it is called MURDER. We have a reasonably well trained Criminal Investigation Agency to handle those, the Police. The murderers should be hung by the neck until dead, at high noon on a Saturday.

The complaints here are more that in 2004 there were reports received concerning 3,000,000 children. Of those reports some were screened out and some were investigated and found 862,000 children were abused or neglected in the United States. This means that 67% of all reports were ruled "Unsubstantiated". In english that is NOT GUILTY. That is 577,000 not guilty children, wonder how many of them were removed from the only home they had ever known for some period of time. Unfortunately that information is not reported. According to Child Maltreatment 2003 there were 133,900 children removed from their home in 2003. Of those 41,642 were termed as Non Victims, why would you remove a NON victim. The same year 256,000 children were reported as "Entering Foster Care". Wonder where the other 122,100 came from if they were not removed?

Of the 862,000 children deemed to be abused or neglected 68% were so deemed because of subjective reasons not factual or physical evidence. Subjective in this context meaning that in the opinion of a possibly untrained and unqualified CPS worker the child was neglected. Lack of ADEQUATE FOOD, CLOTHING OR HOUSING; EMOTIONAL NEGLECT; MEDICAL NEGLECT; FAILURE TO SUPERVISE. ETC.

Your family sounds like one of the good foster homes, which we acknowledge exist. Thank God. There are many operated simply for the money. This fact is acknowledged by CPS but is not corrected.

I sincerely hope as you continue your education you will open your mind. If you do not and enter the Child Welfare in any capacity I pray you do not live in Georgia.

I know this is rambling on but the point is the government does an even worse job of record keeping than they do in keeping out of control CPS workers contained.

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LindaJM
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Statistical Evidence

Postby LindaJM » Sat Dec 02, 2006 2:44 pm

I examined national statistics for the year 2000 and discovered that children are 3.6 times more likely to die in foster homes than in their natural family homes.

I posted the following to the fightcps.com blog years ago, and you can still find it in the archive:

Children killed in fosterincarceration - statistical data

> According to the the statistics on the Administration for
> Children and Families (ACF) website, "Child Maltreatment 2000" (2000 is the
> most recent year for which statistics are available)...
>
> They claim that about 1200 children were killed in the USA that year. 32 of
> those were killed in fosterincarceration.
>
> Total population of children - 72,293,812
> Children in fosterincarceration - 545,097
> Children not in fosterincarceration - 71,748,715
>
> 32 children killed in fosterincarceration - .0058705% of 545,097
> 1168 children killed at home - .0016279% of 71,748,715
>
> According to the government's own statistics it appears that children are
> 3.6 times more likely to be killed in state custody!
>
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/pub ... .htm#child

Maybe someone would like to develop more up to date work on this issue. Leonard Henderson of AFRA examined stats for a different year and posted on his site that children are 50 times more likely to die in foster homes. I don't know if his figures were done the same way mine were.

Linda
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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 ...

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Greegor
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Postby Greegor » Sat Dec 02, 2006 3:19 pm

Any time raw numbers are used to compare deaths blamed on bio parents vs deaths in foster care, usually the defenders of the Child Protection INDUSTRY leave out the actual ratio of bio parents to Foster Contractors.

If 78% of all child deaths are with bio parents, why is that
such a big deal if bio parents make up 95% of all homes
kids are in?

Conversely, what's the percentage of child deaths
versus the percentage of Fosters among homes kids are in?

If Fosters have 6% of deaths but only 3% of the kids,
then they are still abusing at TWICE the rate.

Hope11
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Postby Hope11 » Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:30 pm

Thank you all for your responses. I completely agree on basically everyone of your rebuttles (Gary Shaw, I will quickly refer to your comments in my next post) I know many of the responses contained statisitcs, I used them as well. I'd like to point out we were both able to use statistics from the same subject pool to back up our claims either for or against CPS.

My point of posting was not to deny the fact that children are sometimes abused in foster homes, and that that should NEVER happen. My point was, what about the children who are not taken, the children who are forced to remain in unloving, abusive homes, simply because they share the same blood line. Blood creates relatives, love creates families.

I do not intend to label all parents involved with CPS to be "unfit." I am just fearful that websites like this provides parents with an already twisted sense of right and wrong, justification and exoneration from the acts they've committed against their children. And that those looking for reform within CPS should recognize that there needs to be reform on all ends of the spectrum.

Trust me I've thought about it a lot. What could be done to change CPS. The problem is, policies that strictly follow search and seizure laws that law enforcement must follow jeopordize children's immediate safety, but laws that allow for open and invasive investigation violate the consitution... and I fear that opens the door other loss of rights. In a sense it's a no-win situation. What I ask myself is this, what could be worse. Investigating a false allegation, and realizing there's no abuse, or not investigating a true allegation, and having the child suffer even more.

As of right now here is where I stand on the whole legal issue:
-National standard for what consitutes abuse/neglect
-Strict, harsh, penalties for those convicted of abusing a child
-Child abuse/neglect training for all mandated reporters (these people are required by law to report the suspicion of abuse, however they are not required any training about the issue)
-Better follow-up with families that have been in CPS, (support groups, counseling services, drug rehab) to prevent future problems

I also question how long parents should be able to keep their rights. One loving family I know went through a horrible situation. They took in a little girl when she was 18 months old. The child was autistic and non-verbal. She was so underweight she needed a feeding tube to survive. The family cared for her as one of their own. 4 years went by, the later half with no contact with no biological contact with the biological mother. At the age of 5 the family adopted the child. Three months later, the biological mother through the help of some very good attorneys was able to have her children returned to her. Her three non-adopted children were immediately returned, and then she went to work to take back her adopted daughter she had not made any effort to contact for 2 years. The legal battle began, however it only took 3 months before the mother started not showing for her drug tests, not getting her children to school, and not passing any of the home visits. During this time, she became pregnant for her 5th child. The children were ultimately removed again after a number of issues, and this time her rights were terminated. My question is this, how is it fair for these children to have to live in limbo, (foster families, residential facilities, group homes, etc.) while their parents "get their lives together." How fair is it for foster families to take in these children, love them as their own, and know that at any point they could be taken away because mom or dad is "ready" now. There needs to be some sort of time table, especially when it involves young children. As I said before, having a child is a privledge, not a right.
Last edited by Hope11 on Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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good dad
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Postby good dad » Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:47 pm

Hi hope,welcome to the site..
I am just fearful that websites like this provides parents with an already twisted sense of right and wrong, justification and exoneration from the acts they've committed against their children.


I posted this in another thread today and it kind of fits in response to the above statement...
A friend asked me one time... If helping the parents like those above, "Is it really worth it or your time?"

I said "I'm pretty sure I've given very little advice to those types of parents. If they don't care enough to show up for visits, court etc., They aren't going to spend alot of " their valueable time" seeking out a site like this and putting the time in thats needed to learn ways of fighting back"

So your not going to see stories of "I tested positive for meth 6 times and I don't understand why I can't get my kids back"

I think most who come here seem to be about 6 months or longer into their case, have done everything asked and have a lawyer who does nothing for them...They want their kids back bad and are willing to read and learn the laws/policies and their rights, even enter evidence on their own to fight the lies in caseworkers reports.etc...
Anything to get them back
*********************
My advice is my opinion and not legal advice
*********************
A bad lawyer is worse then no lawyer and bad advice is worse then no advice....

Hope11
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Response to Gary Shaw's post

Postby Hope11 » Sat Dec 02, 2006 5:12 pm

Hi Gary,

I am sorry you saw my post as closed-minded. I thought I tried to be very clear and respectful in my arguement. I will restate though: I am not arguing CPS is always in the right, and I am not arguing abuse does not occur in foster care. I am simply pointing out the other side, that there are a number of children who are in abusive, biological homes, and what can be done to protect them.

If the government does not have precautions to protect children who will. I know the obvious answer is "the parents." But it is ignorant to make the claim ALL parents act in the best interest of their children. Abuse and neglect exist, and those responsible need to be held accountable.

The people on this site do not seem ignorant, quite the contrary, this site seems to be filled with intelligent activists who are taking the time to contact politicians and media. I assure you, your voices will be heard. As I have stated over and over again, my concern is the children in biological homes who are not removed. If the public is bombarded with horrors of foster care, and told how "wrong" cps is to even think of "destroying" families, it will not be long before foster care is thrown under the bus. People will forget the countless cases that foster care has helped, the countless children that were saved from abusive homes. If CPS is truly going to be brought to light, it needs to be a true light. There are wrongs on almost every level of CPS, and to only focus on one area is dangerous. Please, when writing your letters, and contacting media... point out all areas of problems
-case overload
-lack of funding
-illegal searches
-lack of supervision
-legality issues
-inconsistancies of reporting
CPS needs an overhaul, child abuse legislation needs an overhaul, and all areas of concern need to be addressed

Marina
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Postby Marina » Sat Dec 02, 2006 6:14 pm

Hope,

how would you design a family curriculum for 12th graders, so that when these teenagers grew up and became parents they would be 100% competent parents, with 100% competent physical environment and 100% competent emotional environment ?

The 100% competent physical environment would include financial stability, and employment stability. Also adequate housing, health care, child care, education, transportation, food, basic necessities and insurance.

The 100% competent emotional environment would include happy childhood, happy school experiences, academic competence, social, family, and parenting competence, citizenship and mental health.

Psychology is the study of human behavior, and of the brain that controls human behavior. How would you educate the mind in such a way that it would result in adequate treatment of children, rather than in maltreatment of children?

Do you consider yourself a parenting model?

If so, could you please share some of your experiences, so we can learn and not make mistakes in the future.

Hope11
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Postby Hope11 » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:21 pm

Marina,

While I'm assuming most of your post was written sarcastically you bring up some interesting points.

First of all, I never claimed to be a parenting model, I never made any statement that childhood expiriences should be 100% happy, and that parents never make mistakes, or that parents who make mistakes are "bad" parents. People make mistakes, its a fact of life, people aren't always happy, also a fact of life. Unfortunately, the existence of child abuse is also a fact of life, but that does not mean we should accept it. There are things that can be done to protect innocent children who are abused, as well as genuinely good parents who may have been misguieded or falsely accused.

Perhaps family planning, and proper ways of raising children (ie dicipline, nutrition, child development) should be included 12th grade curriculum. Most people end up raising children, and that has to be the most important job in society, why shouldn't it be included in health classes.

Quote: The 100% competent physical environment would include financial stability, and employment stability. Also adequate housing, health care, child care, education, transportation, food, basic necessities and insurance.

Sarcasm or not, why shouldn't all children be given these things. Many people claim they want more done for children, why not advocate for these things. Most European countries do have free health insurance, why not America? It's a proven fact that financial stressors correlate to abuse cases... wouldn't it be great if parents who had to work that extra job to provide for their families had access to affordable child care. Wouldn't it be great if CPS was able to help families in trouble before drastic action was taken?

I am not trying to tell people how they should parent, and I am not accusing anyone of being a bad parent. My point was, and is the same: this site advocates for children who wrongfully taken by CPS (which I have acknowledged happens,) but what about the children who are not taken, and are left in abusive homes. If the people here are so interested and concerned about a reform of CPS for the better, the reform needs to be on every aspect of CPS.

momomma
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Postby momomma » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:39 pm

Hi everyone. I am a college student who is currently studying child psychology as well as working with traumatized children. I came across this site while I was researching a paper on child abuse and CPS. I read many of the postings and commentary, and it is clear that the general opinion on this site is that families always belong together, and CPS is in the wrong by trying to go in and separate children from their biological homes. While I understand that there is abuse that occurs in foster homes, and that sometimes children are taken when perhaps they shouldn't have, I would like everyone to just take a minute to look at the other side:



Hope11 I think your post is very good. It seems to me to be an objective view point and very valid. There are things wrong with almost every aspect of CPS. I have personally seen children in dangerous situations that were either never removed or returned. I think sometimes people, and I'm not saying that I wouldn't, get burned by the system and then don't want to see any other side.

I have taken in over 20 kids that were removed from their parents. Sometimes it was a matter of days before it was cleared up, and sometimes it has lasted longer. Sometimes I have agreed with the caseworkers and sometimes I haven't. I know that the caseworkers that I have personally worked with the number ONE priority is always getting the kids back home with their parents. Sometimes to the point of a possibly dangerous situation. I have two placements right now that their mother did not contact them or CPS for 4 whole months. Four months of not knowing how her babies were doing...she's back and we are all doing everything possible to help her get her children back.

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Postby Marina » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:42 pm

Hope wrote:

this country is willing to sacrifice the well-being and safety of a child for the parental rights of biological parents.

Becoming a parent is not a right, it is a privilege....

Parents who abuse their children, abuse the privilege of being able to raise and love them, and should have their children taken away.

Children should not have to suffer abuse from those who are supposed to love them best, because well it’s a parents “right” to do whatever they want.

Children are currently the most oppressed members of society.

They have no rights, and their well-being and futures are determined by the adults around them.

CPS has an obligation to act in the best of interest of these children.

Whether that means requiring parents to take education classes, drug abuse programs, anger management etc., or removing the children from the home,


1. Do you think this country should sacrifice the well-being and safety of a parent for the rights of social agencies to control parents?

2. Do you think being a caseworker is a right and not a privilege?

3. Do you think that caseworkers who abuse parent clients, also abuse the privilege of being able to identify risk factors, assess needs, and make referrals for services, and should have their clients and jobs taken away?

4. Do you think parent clients should have to suffer abuse from those who are supposed to love families best, because well it’s a caseworker's “right” to do whatever they want ?

5. Do you think parents are oppressed?

6. Do you think parents have rights?

7. Do you think parents' well-being and futures are determined by the multi-disciplinary team around them ?

8. Do you think CPS has an obligation to act in the best of interest of parent clients,

whether that means requiring caseworkers to take education classes, parent abuse programs, anger management etc., or removing the parents from their control.

***********

When a social agency controls a family's children, it also controls the parents. The family is a unit. By removing the children, the agency is declaring the parents to have a disability. The social agency becomes the family's caretakers, by operation of law. They control the children and parents both.

There are laws against adult abuse and neglect. Social agencies are legally required to provide services to families. These services include making investigations, assessing risks, assessing needs, making referrals for services and closing cases.

Every time a caseworker makes an inadequate investigation and withholds exculpatory evidence, this is adult abuse, and is criminal.

Every time a caseworker makes an erroneous risk assessment, this is adult abuse and is criminal.

Every time a caseworker makes erroneous family needs assessments, this is adult abuse and is criminal.

Every time a caseworker makes recommendations for unneeded services, or withholds court-ordered services, then this is adult abuse and is criminal.

Every time a caseworker keeps a case open unnecessarily, then this is adult abuse and is criminal.

Every time a caseworker tells a lie, or refuses to communicate, then this is adult abuse and is criminal.

Every time a caseworker makes a case founded, without statutorily required evidence, resulting in a parent being on the child abuse registry and affecting their livelihood, then this is adult abuse and is criminal.

Social agencies need to model good parenting practices by demonstrating insight into the needs of parents, just as they expect parents to demonstrate insight into the needs of their children.

Authority without responsibility is abuse. Social agencies have more control and authority over parents than parents can ever have over their children.

There is no evidence in the history of mankind that being employed by the government somehow gives government employees occult powers that mere mortals can never understand, and makes them immune from doing any wrong. The actions of government employees need to be held up to the light of right and wrong just as much as the actions of parents. Government employees have legal authority to control people. They need to be held accountable for demonstrating responsibility for that authority.

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Postby Hope11 » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:24 pm

Marina,

You are continuing to twist my words without actually acknowledging my arguement or point. I know what I said, and I stand firmly behind it. You spoke a lot in your last post about the rights and abuse towards parents. I'll be honest, I am slightly confused by your statements, and how they pertain to my point. But I will make one comment to those statements; parents who's rights have been violated have the ability to stand up against it, contacting lawyers, media, etc. Children do not, children need advocates and people willing to speak on their behalf. Children lack the resources to seek out help on their own, so help needs to step up for them.

Again, I have never denied the existance of abuse or neglect in foster homes, or that children may be wrongfully pulled from loving homes. I am simply stating the fact that their are children who are not pulled who should be, and people looking to bring CPS to light, need to address all of the areas of concern.

I am interested in what you have to say on the issue, but you still have not addressed it directly. I am not sure if you are looking for a fight, I am simply looking to make a point that I feel has been overlooked on this site.

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Postby Greegor » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:59 pm

Parents are for the most part not "convicted" of child abuse.
The threshold is "at risk of" not actual abuse, and this
slippery slope is very much abused.

The number of kids removed by CPS agencies who
were victims of what most of the general public
consider ABUSE is actually very small.

Well over 95% of child removals do NOT involve
blood, broken bones or sexual abuse.

The Juvenile Courts that handle Child Protection
cases are Administrative Law courts, a bastardization
of civil law, criminal law and bureaucratic insanity.

The standard of evidence is incredibly LOW
considering that a LIBERTY INTEREST such
as a family's right to BE a family is at stake.

The legal standard is that if more than half
of the information presented is negative,
the family is in trouble. Caseworkers commonly
ABUSE this "preponderance standard" by use of
one sided reporting.

The Child Protection INDUSTRY has emerged as
a powerful force with it's own set of interests
aside from protecting children.

The bureaucracies regularly use the "shotgun approach"
removing children in the hopes of pre-empting abuse
and based on their abuse of abuse statistics.

For each kid the agencies remove who is genuinely
abused or at serious risk they remove hundreds who
were in no "imminent danger" whatsoever.

The agencies chaotic decisions about which kids
should or should not be removed result in the
situation that agencies both remove kids they
should not, and fail to remove kids they should.

They get some bad PR for the kids who
were removed and should not have been,
unless death or hard core abuse takes place
in a Foster contractor's home.

They get even MORE bad PR for the kids they
don't remove when they should, when those
kids end up being news media horror stories.

As a result, when a harassing neighbor calls
in a false abuse complaint on somebody for
the 4th time, children are removed even though
there is no actual indication of abuse.

It's PR CYA for the agency.

If they do not remove the child on the Xth report,
and a kid ends up being dead or some other media
horror story, it's embarassing for the agency
that they investigated X times and found nothing wrong.

Certain well known cases where families have
successfully sued the agencies and won indicate
that the supposed checks and balances are
not functioning.

In US Wallis v Spencer (Escondido) the false
accuser was a patient in a locked psycho ward
and the workers, agency supervision and court
all failed to stop the steamroller of a case.

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Postby Marina » Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:24 pm

Hope stated:

parents who's rights have been violated have the ability to stand up against it, contacting lawyers, media, etc. Children do not, children need advocates and people willing to speak on their behalf. Children lack the resources to seek out help on their own, so help needs to step up for them.


If you were a parent, and your rights had been violated, how would you act any differently from the parents who have written on this forum?

Everyone would appreciate helpful information that would help them obtain better results.

Parents come to this forum for a reason -- either to prevent their children from being removed, or to achieve family reunification. How does dwelling on the justified removals help them achieve that goal?

They did not come here to look at the problem from someone else's viewpoint. They came here desperately seeking solutions to their own problems.

Even the top man at the federal agency ACF has stated that the funding stream works against the stated goals of child welfare. If he can't solve that problem, how do you expect parents to do that?

*************

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/olab/l ... child.html

2. STATEMENT BY

WADE F. HORN, PH.D.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 9, 2005

Current state of child welfare financing and the need for reform

Lastly, the current financing structure has not kept pace with changes in the child welfare field, including the growing role of kinship foster care, the significant extent to which parental substance abuse often underlies the abuse and neglect of children, and the field’s increased emphasis on permanency planning for children in foster care. The result is a funding stream seriously mismatched to current program needs. From complex eligibility criteria based in part on a program (i.e., AFDC) that no longer exists, to intricate claiming rules, it is clear that the current system of title IV-E funding is driven by process rather than outcomes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/05/fc-financing-ib/

FEDERAL FOSTER CARE FINANCING:
How and Why the Current Funding Structure Fails to Meet the Needs of the Child Welfare Field

Updated August 2005

Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Background and History of Title IV-E Foster Care
Documenting Eligibility and Claiming Foster Care Funds is Burdensome
Differing Claiming Practices Result in Wide Variations in Funding Among States
The Current Funding Structure Has Not Resulted in High Quality Services
States' Title IV-E Claiming Bears Little Relationship to Service Quality or Outcomes
The Current Funding Structure is Inflexible, Emphasizing Foster Care
The Financing Structure Has Not Kept Pace with a Changing Child Welfare Field
Proposed Child Welfare Program Option Described
Benefits of the Proposed Child Welfare Program Option
2. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Financing Structure Has Not Kept Pace with a Changing Child Welfare Field
A great deal has changed in the world of child welfare since the federal foster care program was established. The program initially created in 1961, however, has continued without major revision to its financing structure. The result is a funding stream seriously mismatched to current program needs. The goals of the child welfare system are to improve the safety, permanency and well-being of children and families served. By requiring that the great majority of federal funding for child welfare services be spent only on foster care, the financing system undermines the accomplishment of these goals.

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Hope's Suggestions

Postby LindaJM » Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:09 pm

Hope11 wrote:As of right now here is where I stand on the whole legal issue:
-National standard for what consitutes abuse/neglect
-Strict, harsh, penalties for those convicted of abusing a child
-Child abuse/neglect training for all mandated reporters (these people are required by law to report the suspicion of abuse, however they are not required any training about the issue)
-Better follow-up with families that have been in CPS, (support groups, counseling services, drug rehab) to prevent future problems.

Suggestion 1 - National standards for what constitutes abuse/neglect - good idea. If parents were given a clear idea of what could be called abuse or neglect, it would help them avoid those things. As it is now, whatever a caseworker doesn't like can be called abuse or neglect. I've seen good parents lose their kids over all kinds of trivial issues that a caseworker made a subjective judgment about.

Suggestion 2 - Strict, harsh, penalties for those convicted of abusing a child - we already have those, and the keyword here is "convicted". That happens in criminal court. The problem is that most of the cases never go to criminal court, where parents would have constitutional rights. Instead these cases are put through juvenile court where constitutional rights are abrogated, and where the only penalty is losing your children. And of course that's one of the worst, most emotionally traumatizing, things that could ever happen to a parent.

Suggestion 3 - Child abuse/neglect training for all mandated reporters - They get that here where I live. I don't know about other parts of the country.

Suggestion 4 - Better follow-up with families that have been in CPS - once the case is closed, CPS should leave the family alone. Especially in cases where the parents were unjustly accused. We who have been through this HELL do not need further "follow up" which is more unconstitutional violation of our rights to privacy. Hope, how would you like to have some government busybody telling you what you should, must, can or cannot do with your life?

You missed all kinds of important issues for reform. How about better kinship care laws, that can't be ignored by caseworkers?

If the public is bombarded with horrors of foster care, and told how "wrong" cps is to even think of "destroying" families, it will not be long before foster care is thrown under the bus.

The public has the right to know the truth - that children placed in foster homes are in more danger of being abused that children in their natural family homes. Why would you want to hide this from public knowlege?

My point was, what about the children who are not taken, the children who are forced to remain in unloving, abusive homes, simply because they share the same blood line.

Most children are loved and well-treated by their families. If you think this is a real, major issue, you have been brainwashed by the pro-CPS systemites who have propagandized the public to think that natural parents are usually bad. All this brainwashing of the general public is done so that the child welfare system continues to distribute money to CPS employees, fosterers, psychologists, counselors, lawyers, etc... all those who benefit monetarily from the system. (Systemites)

The problem is, policies that strictly follow search and seizure laws that law enforcement must follow jeopordize children's immediate safety, but laws that allow for open and invasive investigation violate the consitution... and I fear that opens the door other loss of rights. In a sense it's a no-win situation. What I ask myself is this, what could be worse. Investigating a false allegation, and realizing there's no abuse, or not investigating a true allegation, and having the child suffer even more.

Any system that violates the constitutional rights of the accused is wrong, and must be changed. Real child abuse is rare, and CPS agents usually can't stop it before it happens. The idea that they are really protecting anyone is ridiculous. CPS agents are so short-sighted that they regularly put children in foster homes with molesters (what a great opportunity for them!) and with other abusers. CPS is a joke intended to make money for people who participate in the system of family destruction.

Furthermore, CPS was created as a means of fulfilling the 40th and 41st goals of the Communist Party during the cold war:

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm

Are you glad the communists are getting what they wanted - the destruction of our country from the inside? With so many parents and children traumatized by forced separations, how can our country be strong?

Linda
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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 ...

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Greegor
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Postby Greegor » Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:29 pm

Hope11 wrote
> I stand firmly behind it.

Open minded seeker or industry hack?

> parents who's rights have been violated have the
> ability to stand up against it, contacting lawyers, media, etc.

There is a HUGE gulf between the optimistic theory of this
and the practical reality. Public defenders often don't.
Even paid attorneys generally do not afford their
client a "vigorous defense".

I've seen innocent families sell the family farm
and burn it all up on attorney fees with no results.

Imagine going into a court thinking the Judge is
impartial and it's you versus the agency in front
of an impartial Judge.

agency,
prosecutor,
Guardian Ad Litem (usually rubber stamp for agency),
Judge,
even your own attorney

All working for the STATE!

> Children do not, children need advocates and people
> willing to speak on their behalf. Children lack the
> resources to seek out help on their own, so help
> needs to step up for them.

Children more often than not want to go home,
but their GAL misrepresents their feelings and wishes.
GAL's are NOT attorneys to represent the wishes
of the child, but supposedly the best interests of the
child. They tend to work with the FAKE ""therapists"",
people who are NOT licensed therapists but pose
as therapists, total stooges misrepresenting to
perpetuate their own job.

Hope11
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Postby Hope11 » Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:56 pm

Hi again to Greegor and Marina:

Greegor,

Thank you very much for your very insightful post. I agree with you very much on the flaws CPS, and the issues facing the legality of removing children as well as CPS investigations. I have already told you that I am torn on where I stand in terms of these issues. Forums and diaglouges like this truly make me consider all sides of a complex issue. I only wish more people understood that in terms of CPS it is not black and white, but a vast area of gray that will probably never be agreed on or perfect. But by forcing people to look at the issues and be held accountable for their actions I think we are in the right direction of protecting our nations children.

Marina,

As I have stated before I am not looking for a fight. I came across this site while researching CPS, in fact I believe the site's mission says:

Quote
Site mission: To provide information and support for families attacked by Child Protective Services and child welfare agents, especially those families facing false or trivial accusations of child abuse or neglect; and for researchers working to protect natural family rights.

I think that children have a right to be protected, and I definately think that falls under the category of natural family rights. I work with children right now who have been failed by society and the system, and I want more than anything for there to be a reform to better protect them. The kids I deal with have been lost in the system, and failed by their parents as well as the system that was supposed to "protect" them.

I don't make an arguement or claim without considering the other side. At my job I deal with children who have been failed on one end of the CPS system. Children and teens who were forced to live in abusive and neglecting situations. This the area of CPS that I know very well, and see day in and day out. This is the area of reform that I am quite passionate about.

Now you fall on the other end of the spectrum. I'm assuming either you or someone you know have been wronged because of false allegations and illegal procedures. I do not doubt that you are a loving parent. Your dedication to this site truly shows your dedication to the children hurt by being wrongfully taken by CPS. And you are as passionate about you area of reform as I am on mine.

So here we are, on two complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Now, we could both be activists for our causes. I could write my politicians and contact my media about how many children are forced to remain in abusive homes, and how CPS does little to protect them, and how CPS is so lenient in being more focused on parents rights than the safety and well-being of an innocent child. And write your politicians and contact your meida about how CPS removes children from loving homes and places them in abusive foster homes that fail to meet the child needs. How CPS is confusing and inconsistent with the parents they are supposed to be trying to "help." How they conduct illegal searches, that jeopordize basic consitutional rights. How they make critical decisions without proper facts.

And you and I could go round and round. I get my message out, you get your message out. And the politicians, if they are smart, let us continue to go at it, because well why should they take a stance when my argument negates yours, and yours negates mine.

What I am calling for is a unified front. Showing CPS that we recognize all problem areas and we want reform not because of a personal vendetta (i.e. you wanting your children back, me not wanting my foster sister returned to an abusive home) but because the system as a whole is flawed and as a result everyone is hurt at all levels.

You wrote:
Quote
Everyone would appreciate helpful information that would help them obtain better results.

Parents come to this forum for a reason -- either to prevent their children from being removed, or to achieve family reunification. How does dwelling on the justified removals help them achieve that goal?

They did not come here to look at the problem from someone else's viewpoint. They came here desperately seeking solutions to their own problems.


I was under the impression this site was not only to help desperate parents wronged by CPS, but also as a catalyst to spark reform in CPS. I have a lot of contact with CPS, and I will most likely spend the rest of my life working with children involved with CPS. I've only visited this site a few times, and already I have thought a lot more critically about my views. Please do not take my posts as an assault against these parents. The points and stories on this site are very valid, however, I can tell you right now someone defending CPS could poke holes in stories and twist words; similiar to what you have done to my posts. However, when you put our arguements together, how can anyone poke a hole in it? How can a politician argue with testimonials from both end of the spectrum, facts and figures acknowledging ALL of CPS's flaws. They can't.

I appreciate your passion in your fight against CPS, and I acknowledge and respect your views. Please, try to do the same for me and my views.

momomma
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Postby momomma » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:03 pm

Most children are loved and well-treated by their families. If you think this is a real, major issue, you have been brainwashed by the pro-CPS systemites who have propagandized the public to think that natural parents are usually bad. All this brainwashing of the general public is done so that the child welfare system continues to distribute money to CPS employees, fosterers, psychologists, counselors, lawyers, etc... all those who benefit monetarily from the system. (Systemites)



I think most children are loved and cared for by their families, but I do believe there is a NEED for good foster families, because there are REAL instances of REAL abuse and I don't think I have been brainwashed by anyone.

I take offense to being included in the group who benefit monetarily from the system. I don't know where you are from, but do you know how much money foster parents are reimbursed for the care of a child? For the ages I have $227 per MONTH, plus $100 professional parenting. How on earth could we be in it for the money? Clothing allowances are a joke, unless you don't care if the child is in rags I guess. I think just like you that the majority of parents do love and care for the kids, same as I think the majority of foster do it because they want to help not only children, but families.

Like the parents here until you've been in the situation you have no idea what it's like. If you've ever visited www.fosterparents.com website you will see there are ALOT of foster families who have sacrificed alot to make sure children are taken care of, regardless of the reason they were brought into care.

momomma
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Postby momomma » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:09 pm

What I am calling for is a unified front. Showing CPS that we recognize all problem areas and we want reform not because of a personal vendetta (i.e. you wanting your children back, me not wanting my foster sister returned to an abusive home) but because the system as a whole is flawed and as a result everyone is hurt at all levels


Amen to that. We need to not see each other as "enemies" and start working on the same side to make the changes happen to CPS that are needed. I think anyone who deals with CPS sees the flaws, and if we work together maybe we can make a difference. It is after all in the children's best interest.

Hope11
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Postby Hope11 » Sun Dec 03, 2006 12:21 am

More to consider:

Greegor:

My prior post was to your previous post. In your most recent post you state: Open minded seeker or industry hack? I think my last post to Marina addresses where I stand.

You and I have obviously had very different expireinces with CPS, again, my previous posts addresses my thoughts on this as well. I will say that you say you know families who fought CPS and lost nearly everything, including the case... well I know children who were left in the care of their parents and suffered what can only be described as horrific, disgusting abuse. For us to argue which is worse is completely useles, because we are both right.. CPS needs an overhaul on every level (see my previous post)



Linda:


Suggestion 4 - Better follow-up with families that have been in CPS - once the case is closed, CPS should leave the family alone. Especially in cases where the parents were unjustly accused. We who have been through this HELL do not need further "follow up" which is more unconstitutional violation of our rights to privacy. Hope, how would you like to have some government busybody telling you what you should, must, can or cannot do with your life?

I am not so much talking about cases that were found to be false, but more or less for children who were pulled and returned to rehabilitated parents, especially when drug use was involved, as it so easy slip up. Not so much to "catch" parents, but to offer support if they need it. If CPS genuinely believes that the children belong with the family, why wouldn't they do anything that they could to ensure that these families succeed.

Quote You missed all kinds of important issues for reform. How about better kinship care laws, that can't be ignored by caseworkers?

I agree there are many more issues, and I think the government and public needs to be made aware of all of them. I am more than open to any suggestions and ideas because I want to be able to have a complete and total sense of the issue. I honestly don't know enough about current kinship laws to form an educated stance.

Quote The public has the right to know the truth - that children placed in foster homes are in more danger of being abused that children in their natural family homes. Why would you want to hide this from public knowlege?

I am not looking to hide that abuse occurs in foster care. As I've stated before there are conflicting veiws on the statistics, and reasons for it. It's clear that we will not agree on this point, so I'd just assume to agree to disagree. However, my fear is that if bombarded with images of "evil foster homes" people will forget that the majority of foster homes do help children, and more and more children will be left in biological abusive situations. If abusive foster homes are being presented as a problem area for CPS, they should also be held accountable for the children they fail to remove.

Quote Most children are loved and well-treated by their families. If you think this is a real, major issue, you have been brainwashed by the pro-CPS systemites who have propagandized the public to think that natural parents are usually bad. All this brainwashing of the general public is done so that the child welfare system continues to distribute money to CPS employees, fosterers, psychologists, counselors, lawyers, etc... all those who benefit monetarily from the system.

I don't know who's paycheck you've seen, but for the majority of those involved with CPS its anything but a money maker. I do not think that most parents are usually bad. But I recognize that way too many children are horrifically abused by the people who should protect them. I've stated before, I've only had expirience on one end of CPS, which is part of the reason I am on this site, to gain insight on the other end.

Back to money statement. Social workers are underpaid, most psychologists are too. When I entered the psychology major the first thing my advisor said to me was, "psychology is a wonderful, interesting field, and if you want to help and understand people you will love it... if your here for money you're in the wrong field" My family is also a foster family for 3 special needs children. In terms of the money available to foster families, we are on the high end because of the nature of the kids we take in (medical and psychological issues) my mother has spent money on clothes for the rapidly growing kids, books and computer programs to help in their educational delays, trips to science museums, butterfly sanctuaries, extra school photos to give to their mother. She also spends money on the boys siblings who aren't in our care (she picks them up regularly from their foster homes so they can have some sibling time together) And thats not even including the gas used to drive these kids all over the state to see all kind of specialists for the litany of issues that face them. Last October, one of the children in our care nearly died from a medical condition that was a result of the abuse she receieved from her mother and step-father. During the 3 month period that she was in and out of the hospital my mother jumped through hoops making sure that there was always an adult present so a mentally retarded 9-year-old wouldn't have to be alone at the hospital. I took time off from work, my other sisters in high school also took turns being at the hospital when my mother wasn't available. CPS never offered to help with care, in fact we only saw the social worker when we needed medical clearence for a last resort surgery. There is so much that goes into being a fosterer, we too are subject to home visits. We average one person from CPS in our house once a week. We have a visiting nurse for the child I spoke about earlier. It is very much a hassle. But is a hassle we love. We love these children, and that is why we do it. The money we receive is because these children cost money to raise, especially with the problems they have. I was criticized for claiming to lump all parents invovled with CPS as unfit, and I made it clear that this was never my claim. Please do not lump all fosterers under the label as money hungry, profit seeking, indviduals.

My future goal is to be a child psychologist for traumatized children. Based on your arguement I am in it for the money. Why would anyone in their right mind join a career that is so demanding, offers so little money, and is proven to have a high-burn out factor, unless they were genuinely committed to helping people.

You claim child abuse is rare... whether or not this is statistically true, I can tell you right now I have had personal expirience with WAY too many kids who have been abused and it's horrifying. These kids need protection, and their abusers need to be held accountable. The stories I've heard are sickening, and demand for CPS overhaul...

Wow I just rambled for a while. I know I've gotten a little off-track, but I hope I haven't lost my original point. There are flaws on CPS on all levels, and they as a whole need to be addressed. I really appreciate everyones' comments though. As I stated earlier, I feel like I'm getting a much clearer picture and understanding of CPS problems as a whole.

Gary Shaw
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Postby Gary Shaw » Sun Dec 03, 2006 4:18 am

Hope,

You say for us to contact the media, contact our politicians, spread the word, let the public know about the problems with CPS. What do you think we have been trying to do, for years. When you approach these people they automatically take the opinion that we are in favor of unpunished child abuse. They think that we are just angry because we got caught. The smile and say they will look into it, then silence. It is not an easy task. Some headway is being made by groups like this one. Some people in these groups are very very well informed and keep butting their head against the wall.

You can hardly find and attorney (paid or public) who will take on the system in court. They take your money but they don't serve you very well. The paid and public lawyers that handle these cases earn all their money in Juvenile Court. Most areas have one such court and one judge. They can not afford to anger that judge. It is the money.

You can hardly find a politician who will even listen to you. When they do they go away and cut a ribbon on a new highway or chicken house, or whatever.

Truth be known you can't pick up the dog poo in your yard, barehanded, without getting some on you. They are not interested, more tragic they are not interested either way. Most seem to think it is CPS's job and I am sure they are doing good and they seem to think the Parents deserve it.

Again, we in the fight want to defend the wrongfully accused and save them from the horror. We do not want to protect the people who do abuse children. I am the Father of Three Sons, the Step Father of Two Sons and a Daughter, we have Fourteen Grand Children. I have seen the degradation of American Social Government happen. I am not theorizing, I saw and am seeing it happen. Linda is right, this and other issues of this sort will be the eventual downfall of America.

How can any Government stand strong when it creates uncontrolled and unsupervised Agencies that trample on the Laws of the Land with impunity and abuses the Government given rights of the people?

You say that you are torn on the issues, I am not.

1. Protect children from serious abuse and serious neglect, (In case you haven't read it, that was the directions of the original Federal Law, Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1977 Serious being the operative word.)

2. Punish ALL real offenders in the Criminal Justice system. That way there is real punishment for the real offenders. CPS just takes the children away, people who truly abuse and neglect do not want the children anyway. What punishment is that. Put their butts in Jail when they INTENTIONALLY injure a child.

3. Do their job as they think it is defined. BUT, OBEY ALL THE LAWS AND THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR STATE. There is not one acceptable excuse for disobeying the Laws or the Constitutions, especially "Under the Color of Law".

I have much more to say but this is not the time and place. You are welcome to read what I think Needs to be Changed and Suggestions for Change at:

www.fixcps.org

I have ONE more question. You concur that CPS has major problems. Everyone I meet with or speak with agrees that CPS has major problems. Every single person associated with the system in anyway agrees there a many problems and are always very quick to announce "We are working on them." We have been hearing the same dribble since 1980, books have been written on it, movies have been made of it, hearings have been held on it, the people have cried out in pain and agony over it.

EXACTLY HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FIX A PROBLEM? 30 years? 40 years? ???

The suggested fix is always more workers, more equipment, more, more, more. Hope, even in an idealistic world you can not clean out a septic tank by dumping more poo into it.

After reading more of your postings, you are starting to make me think, maybe I do want you to live in Georgia. You keep thinking, the truth will out, it always does. You may the very one to start the fix. It will take all sides at the table to fix.

momomma
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Postby momomma » Sun Dec 03, 2006 4:44 am

It is not an easy task. Some headway is being made by groups like this one. Some people in these groups are very very well informed and keep butting their head against the wall.



I know your post was in response to Hope, but I had to say something about this part of it. I am one of the many who think CPS needs some major changes made.

I think that this problem is going to take alot more than talking to some news reporters or writing to a newspaper. I think it's going to take parents, all parents, presenting a united front and GOING to the capitals, the governors, as far as we need to go and say we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. Getting more people involved in true restructuring of the system is what it's going to take. As widespread as the problems are, I don't often hear about all of these parents so wrongly accused and fighting for their children with everything they have. If I had not come across this website I'm not sure I would have realized the unbelievable amount of parents who are in this fight. I hear about CPS and their problems, mostly involving foster care. We NEED to hear from more parents....we need to be yelling this from the roof tops and making someone sit up and pay attention.

I think one of my main concerns is that parents and fosters start working TOGETHER to make this happen. I think those lines of communication need to be opened and we need to quit assuming one or the other is "bad" or "evil". If the caseworkers and case managers can keep us from getting to know each other and helping each other, they really do win, and unfortunately the children lose.

Gary Shaw
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Postby Gary Shaw » Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:59 am

momomma,

You are absolutely correct. It will take everyone working together. Parents, Foster Parents, Grand Parents, Concerned Citizens who want their Government to operate efficiently and legally, CPS Workers who are tired of being thought of as evil when they consider themselves helping protect children.

Now comes the problem.

1. Most people when they are involved with CPS are afraid of retaliation if they speak out. They jump thru the hoops, seek advice and knowledge and comfort from these sites. They hide their identities and locations. They cower in the corner of anger and hurt. All this time they vow they are in this fight until the end. As soon as I get my kids home they are going to be sorry they ever messed with me. I will fight them until I die.

2. When their children come home, and most do eventually, they silently disappear and enjoy their children and live in fear of CPS coming again.

3. When we try to organize a meeting or when we try to organize a rally, parade, or demonstration. The first thing you get is; "It won't work like that, you must do it like this." It usually starts a FLAME WAR among ourselves and discredits the entire movement. If you do push forward and hold whatever event you planned you will be lucky if ten people show up.

4. When you ask the victim parents and concerned citizens to come together and use the power of their vote to change things you usally get, "It won't do any good, they are going to do what they want anyway."

DAMN IT, THEY WORK FOR US. WE THE VOTERS CAN AND SHOULD FIRE THEM WHEN THEY ARE INSUBORDINATE TO THEIR BOSS.

5. I realize the reasons for the paranoia but the truth is we will never be effective until we stand up and loudly proclaim MY NAME IS GARY SHAW, I LIVE AT 134 ARMSTRONG AVENUE, BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA, 31525 MY TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 912-267-6820; I AM A REGISTERED VOTER AND I DO VOTE. I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE.

We can and should demand that our government stop being stupid, stop being wasteful, stop being abusive, stop being intrusive, obey the laws, obey the constitution. We only need the number of people to equal the margin of victory plus one of any politician or elected official to FIRE them.

I address my posts to one person but they are written for all to read and hopefully respond to. We must quit hiding in the closet, put our keyboards aside, get better informed and get into the streets. It has worked very well for other oppressed minority groups and it will work now.

For two years I have been trying to go it alone (only because no one will stand beside me [probably from fear of embarassment}) and can assure you that one or two in a location can not do it. Fifteen or twenty pro active people might. Fifty or a hundred in any one location absolutely can. There were 1,650,000 families reported in 2004 and every year. It would seem we could find 380,000 of them to do the work. That would put 100 in every county in America. Go Figure.

Marina
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Postby Marina » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:31 am

Hope, if you need a "united front," then maybe you should contact social services about your service needs.

I doubt if the parents on this forum can help you with your needs.

The mother who goes to bed crying and wakes up crying because her premature infant was taken, because of broken bones from medicine, cannot help you.

The mother who goes around with a knot in the pit of her stomach, because her children have been placed with an abusive ex-husband, cannot help you.

The mother who stays up half the night to write a Declaration of Facts cannot help you.

The mother who lived in a motel because of Hurricane Katrina, and had her children taken because she was a flight risk, cannot help you.

The man who was court-ordered to take sex-offender treatment, even though he was the non-offending parent, cannot help you, because he is out of the home and homeless, so his wife can get her daughter back.

The mom who has been investigated 6 times, sometimes without an interpreter for the deaf, cannot help you. She stays up half the night with her children who have nightmares because the children had sexual abuse examinations.

Perhaps the mother I am helping can also help you. She does not drive, and has been evicted from her home because CPS became representative payee for the family income, and didn't make the rent payments as agreed upon in the service plan. She lived with a man who didn't have electricity and was picked up for possession of drug paraphanelia. While there, her grown daughter had a stroke from taking something. She now lives with a family she has known a long time, who won't allow her to go anywhere they don't approve of. She got locked out of the house on a cold night because she didn't have a key. The lady of the house is feeding CPS information about how much Nyquil she took for her cold, and accused her of going off on a drinking binge when she went to visit my daughter just to get out of the house for a while. The lady of the house wouldn't let the mom bring some of the childrens' clothes to her house to wash and take to the children's consignment shop to sell because they might have roaches in them, so I took the mom to the mini-storage, we got the clothes, brought them to my house, washed and dried them, I finished up the next day for her, counted out the clothes into 2 batches of 50, picked her up, took her to the Children's shop, she took one batch in, I took another batch in, she got $25, I got $15, total of $40 for maybe 25 itmes out of $100 items of her children's clothes she had to sell to help pay for her mini-storage for her family possessions. We took the rejected items back to the ministorage. The foster family won't let her children have any of their own clothes.
While doing all this, the mom missed her first substance abuse counseling session, which she had cancelled because she had a beer on the weekend, but they came to pick her up anyway.
Maybe you could send her a laptop computer, so she can be an advocate for your cause while she rides in the cab 5 hrs each way to see her 17 yr old son for an hour. He ran away from a local group home last Christmas because they would not let him visit his mother on the holiday, so ever since then they have drugged him and kept him locked up, and now far, far away. When he turns 18 next summer, and has no home because social services didn't see fit to keep up the payments with his social security check, like his mother had been doing for 12 years, then maybe he could be an advocate for your cause. You could send him a laptop also, and he could use it when he is in prison from trying to steal food, since all his benefits will probably be cut off then. He will probably no longer have ADHD, bipolar or anything else.

momomma
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Postby momomma » Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:22 pm

I address my posts to one person but they are written for all to read and hopefully respond to. We must quit hiding in the closet, put our keyboards aside, get better informed and get into the streets. It has worked very well for other oppressed minority groups and it will work now.



I completely agree.

A question..have any of the parents on here that were falsely accused and had their children removed ever tried to get on television? Local news or nationwide talk shows? Like I said before, I knew CPS had some major problems, but until I came across this site I didn't realize the other end of it...how many others like me don't even know what's going on??


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