Legally Kidnapped

Shattering Your Child Welfare Delusions Since 2007


Friday, January 31, 2014

Foster parents get jail time for perjury

Foster parents get jail time for perjury

A pair of Post Falls foster parents were sentenced in Kootenai County District Court this week for perjuring themselves while on trial for child abuse charges that were dismissed in court last summer.

Winnipeg man cleared in foster son's death

Winnipeg man cleared in foster son's death

A Manitoba man has been cleared of wrongdoing in the death of his 13-month-old foster son after a judge ruled there was no evidence to convict him.

A list of key events in the life of Phoenix Sinclair, who was killed at age five

A list of key events in the life of Phoenix Sinclair, who was killed at age five

Key events in the life of Phoenix Sinclair, who was beaten to death at the age of five after being returned to her mother by social workers:

Former foster children covered under Obamacare, but enrollment workers often unaware

Former foster children covered under Obamacare, but enrollment workers often unaware

Marcy Valenzuela arrived at the Los Angeles County offices before the doors opened, joining a line already several people deep.

Report: "Duhhhh... Arizona child welfare needs full overhaul

Arizona child welfare needs full overhaul

An independent team named by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to review the state's troubled child welfare agency on Friday called for a top-to-bottom overhaul of the department to focus it purely on child safety.

Maine CPS Strikes Again!



So I was driving down the street today and saw a guy standing at Monument Square, (a local park in the downtown area) with a bunch of signs.


The letters "CPS" stuck out on one of them.  So I parked in the parking garage (at a cost of $2 bucks, BFD) and went and talked to him.


He braved the cold on his moped to get there...


The guy was clearly in a state of distress.  Doesn't know where to turn.  Is desperate for help.  I could see it in his face, hear it in his voice.  The worst thing that ever could have happened did.  Maine's Child Protective Services took his baby girl.


Although I only talked to him for a few minutes, he certainly had a story to tell.


His family only recently moved to the United States.  They brought their daughter to the doctor, and they started giving her vaccinations.  Apparently the vaccinations made the girl very sick, so he took issue with the doctor and said he was going to a new one.


The doctor reported him to Maine's Child Protective Services for Medical neglect.


Guess what happened next...


In all honesty, meeting this guy gave me a grave reminder of what CPS can do to people.  The guy has no idea where to go.  He has no understanding of his situation.  He just doesn't understand.  Totally lost and helpless and desperate.


Imagine being this father...


It could happen to you.


Foster carer 'damaged' kids' lives

Foster carer 'damaged' kids' lives

A foster carer and youth worker who abused three boys in his care was not charged when one of his teenage victims went to police in the 1990s because his sole claim had not been deemed enough to warrant an extradition.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Manitoba child welfare agencies decry 4% funding cut

Manitoba child welfare agencies decry 4% funding cut

Child welfare officials in Manitoba are warning that they may have to cut support for families because the provincial government has cut their funding.


Dr. Phil accused of ‘slavery,’ ‘abuse' and ‘false imprisonment’ in lawsuit

Dr. Phil accused of ‘slavery,’ ‘abuse' and ‘false imprisonment’ in lawsuit

Television psychologist Phil McGraw has been slapped with a lawsuit, claiming that McGraw exploited the fact that their daughter had solicited sex on the internet, and ultimately had her virtually incarcerated in a “private prison” rather than provide useful psychological counseling.

Note: Don't forget, Dr Phil is a National CASA Spokesperson.

Questions around fired DSS supervisor's reports used in active cases

Questions around fired DSS supervisor's reports used in active cases

A former DSS supervisor sits in jail accused of child abuse, but the work she oversaw is still in the system.

Arizona House panel OKs millions in extra CPS cash

Arizona House panel OKs millions in extra CPS cash

An Arizona House panel has approved a special $6.8 million appropriation that will allow the state's child welfare agency to hire 192 new workers right away.

New Petition to “Free Lakota Children from State Kidnapping” Attracts Record Signatures - More than 15,000 Sign in First Week

New Petition to “Free Lakota Children from State Kidnapping” Attracts Record Signatures - More than 15,000 Sign in First Week

In its first week, more than 15,000 joined the Lakota People's Law Project in urging President Obama to end South Dakota’s “Foster Care Removal Epidemic” buy funding the tribes directly to develop and provide their own child and family services. US government statistics show that 90% of the 750 Lakota foster children South Dakota seizes each year go into non-Native homes and locked group psychiatric facilities instead of being placed with their families or tribe as directed by Federal law.

Reforms sought to Conn. child custody cases sought

Reforms sought to Conn. child custody cases sought

A state task force is recommending reforms to child custody cases in state courts, including capping court-appointed child guardians' fees that many parents say are wiping out their finances.

1 teen still missing from Long Island group home; 2 others found

1 teen still missing from Long Island group home; 2 others found

Police on Long Island say they're still looking for one of the teenage boys who were reported missing from a group home.

CPS Removed a Dallas Family's Kids, and the Home-School Community Is Pissed

CPS Removed a Dallas Family's Kids, and the Home-School Community Is Pissed

For a full and detailed account of what Christina and Trevor Tutt have experienced over the past four months -- a run-in with CPS, the removal of their children by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, an ongoing legal fight to get them back -- read this.


Simons: Former foster child pleads with the province to end the stigma and shame that surround privacy laws

Simons: Former foster child pleads with the province to end the stigma and shame that surround privacy laws

On Friday, the Manitoba government will release the report of a major public inquiry into the death of a five-year-old girl horribly abused and finally killed by her mother and stepfather.

Note: I would much rather see Velvet Martin up there.

Indian Child Welfare class action suit moves forward

Indian Child Welfare class action suit moves forward

A lawsuit from two tribes accusing South Dakota of routinely violating the federal law governing foster care and adoptions for American Indian children can proceed as a class-action case.

DHS worker had no legal right to remove 5-year-old from mother, attorney says

DHS worker had no legal right to remove 5-year-old from mother, attorney says

Jessica Coronado is suing the Iowa Department of Human services and a child protective worker because her 5-year-old daughter was removed from her custody without evidence of “imminent danger” and they continued to keep the child for more than two weeks without cause in November of 2009, her attorney said in his opening statement.

Man with juvenile sex crime history was licensed as foster parent, abused more kids

Man with juvenile sex crime history was licensed as foster parent, abused more kids

Richard Jason Boothby is now spending 18 years behind bars for child rape and molestation after sexually abusing at least three foster children in his care.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Adoptive mom takes plea deal in abuse case

Adoptive mom takes plea deal in abuse case

On the day a former Toledo foster mother and her husband were to go on trial for the alleged abuse of their adopted daughter, the woman entered a plea agreement Monday that led to her conviction on a misdemeanor charge.

How we saved our grandchild from a forced adoption: Couple came within 48 hours of losing three-month-old baby India forever

How we saved our grandchild from a forced adoption: Couple came within 48 hours of losing three-month-old baby India forever

A couple came within 48 hours of losing their grand-daughter forever after social workers put her up for adoption.

Justin Trudeau Says Alberta Foster Care Deaths Shocking, Calls For Change

Justin Trudeau Says Alberta Foster Care Deaths Shocking, Calls For Change

Federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says he is shocked by the high number of children who have died while in the Alberta foster care system and has called on all levels of government to deal with the issue.

Legislature to mull millions in special CPS cash

Legislature to mull millions in special CPS cash

The Arizona Legislature is preparing to provide Gov. Jan Brewer with $6.8 million to allow the state's child welfare agency to hire 192 new workers right away.

Senators Not Satisfied with DSS’ Answers on Child Welfare

Senators Not Satisfied with DSS’ Answers on Child Welfare

State senators remain unsatisfied with the S.C. Department of Social Services' responses to allegations that recently instituted policies in Child Protective Services have led to preventable child neglect and abuse, as well as fatalities — and the tone of their voices suggests patience is beginning to fray.

Nearly half of human services staff lack confidence in leadership

Nearly half of human services staff lack confidence in leadership

While experts gather at a two-day roundtable to discuss ways to improve child death reviews and lift the veil of secrecy from the child welfare system, a survey of government employees who care for children suggests there are major concerns about the leadership in the department.

Alberta panel agrees all child deaths should be investigated

Alberta panel agrees all child deaths should be investigated

Alberta needs strong new legislation to support a renewed child death review system that investigates all child deaths — not only those of children known to intervention authorities, experts agreed Tuesday.

Northern Ireland Child Abuse: Children Forced To 'Eat Their Own Vomit' In Church-Run 'Hell Hole'

Northern Ireland Child Abuse: Children Forced To 'Eat Their Own Vomit' In Church-Run 'Hell Hole'

Children at residential homes run by Catholic nuns were treated like prisoners at a Nazi concentration camp, a former resident has claimed.

Children locked in cages at Salvation Army home, abuse inquiry told

Children locked in cages at Salvation Army home, abuse inquiry told

Two-week hearing in Sydney to be told of corporal punishment, sexual abuse and one boy being forced to 'eat his own vomit'


Trial told timeline of foster child's death can't be narrowed down

Trial told timeline of foster child's death can't be narrowed down

A doctor’s testimony is raising questions about the timeline in Roderick Blacksmith’s second-degree murder trial.

Sex and Satanic Abuse: A Fad Revisited

Sex and Satanic Abuse: A Fad Revisited

The time was between 20 and 25 years ago. The outrage that needed exposing was the sudden epidemic of prosecutions of daycare workers for the alleged sexual and satanic ritual abuse of the children under their care. The place was all over the U.S. -- this was a nationwide craze that focused suspicion on more than 100 daycare centers. The victims were the completely innocent daycare workers who were indicted and often convicted of ridiculous charges that could not possibly have any foundation in reality. Many were pressured, threatened, and/or tortured into false confessions, and some, under great duress, were forced into making false charges implicating co-workers. Dozens have served prison sentences, and some are still in jail -- an injustice of shocking proportions.

No systemic problems at DCF, Patrick says

No systemic problems at DCF, Patrick says

Gov. Deval Patrick said Monday that the problems facing the Department of Children and Families in the wake of the Jeremiah Oliver case are “not systemic” and that the ongoing problems of high caseloads and staffing are not connected to the disappearance of the five-year-old Fitchburg boy.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Maine may hire more inspectors after reports of abuse at Lyman day care

Maine may hire more inspectors after reports of abuse at Lyman day care

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is evaluating whether it needs more child care center inspectors and whether laws regulating such centers should be updated, state officials said Monday after news reports of abuse at a Lyman day care became public this month.

U.S. law aimed at helping North Korean orphans

U.S. law aimed at helping North Korean orphans

North Korean orphans who make it to South Korea could be considered relatively lucky. They are provided an education, a path to South Korean citizenship and even a chance at adoption.

America’s Missing Children: Link Between Foster Care And Trafficking

America’s Missing Children: Link Between Foster Care And Trafficking

On iHeart Radio’s Janine Turner Show, Conna Craig of the Hoover Institution’s Institute for Children, discusses the state of foster care in the U.S. and its link with human trafficking. Craig is concerned with the fact that so many children are “missing” from the foster care system and no one has reported them missing. Many, she believes, are lured into sexual trafficking situations.

Foster dad given 30 years for abuse charges

Foster dad given 30 years for abuse charges

A disabled man accused of molesting some of the 25 children he and his wife were foster parents to has been sentenced to 30 years in prison as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

Photo ban for care girl grandmother

Photo ban for care girl grandmother

A judge has ordered a woman whose two-year-old granddaughter was taken into care to stop posting the youngster's name and photograph on the internet.

Alberta child deaths focus of two-day roundtable

Alberta child deaths focus of two-day roundtable

A two-day roundtable into how the deaths of children in government care are reported to the public starts Tuesday in Edmonton.

Salvation Army ‘deeply regrets’ sexual abuse of children in its care

Salvation Army ‘deeply regrets’ sexual abuse of children in its care

Charity acknowledges ‘failure of the greatest magnitude’ before public hearing into its response to abuse at four of its homes

Disabled foster father sentenced for molestation

Disabled foster father sentenced for molestation

A 69-year-old disabled man accused of molesting some of the 25 children he and his wife fostered over the years was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison as part of a plea agreement.

No charges filed in North Georgia foster care child death investigation

No charges filed in North Georgia foster care child death investigation

Nearly a month after a 2-year-old dies while in foster care in north Georgia no charges have been filed.

Chief Medical Examiner testifies in foster child death case

Chief Medical Examiner testifies in foster child death case

A 21-month-old girl who died while in the care of a Morinville foster mom suffered an “abusive head injury,” said the Alberta Chief Medical Examiner on Monday.

Foster mom charged in near drowning of unsupervised child in a hot tub in Breckenridge

Foster mom charged in near drowning of unsupervised child in a hot tub in Breckenridge

A Colorado Springs woman has been charged with child abuse negligence in connection with the near drowning of an unsupervised child at a hot tub at the Grand Lodge in Breckenridge.

Patrick still confident in DCF commissioner

Patrick still confident in DCF commissioner

Gov. Deval Patrick says the failure of the Department of Families and Children to keep track of a 5-year-old Fitchburg boy was inexcusable, but has provided the state with an opportunity to re-examine the agency.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Indian Children 'Forced Into Illegal Adoption' In Australia Claim

Indian Children 'Forced Into Illegal Adoption' In Australia Claim

Three Indian children have been forced into illegal adoption and brought to Australia in the past year, an organisation representing families of trafficking victims has alleged.

Sisters of Nazareth evidence 'haphazard and piecemeal'

Sisters of Nazareth evidence 'haphazard and piecemeal'

Sisters of Nazareth nuns have given their evidence to Northern Ireland's Historical Abuse Inquiry in a "haphazard and piecemeal fashion", the inquiry has been told.

Patrick to speak on DCF crisis

Patrick to speak on DCF crisis

Gov. Deval Patrick told a gathering yesterday that he spent all day dealing with the crisis at the embattled Department of Children and Families, and plans to address the press on the issue today.

Increased information about Arizona's child welfare agency will continue, new boss says

Increased information about Arizona's child welfare agency will continue, new boss says

Arizona’s child welfare crisis is providing residents with a glimpse of something rarely seen from the agency charged with protecting kids in the state: transparency.

Editorial: Learn from child welfare failures


We hope that Handle with Care, Leader-Post reporter Barb Pacholik's six-part series on Saskatchewan's child welfare system, has made for uncomfortable reading this past week.

Social services reopening cases after child was handcuffed to porch

Social services reopening cases after child was handcuffed to porch

North Carolina officials say Union County's social services department will have to reopen or review a handful of cases of possible child abuse and neglect to make sure workers didn't mishandle them.

Trial starts Tuesday in mother’s lawsuit against DHS

Trial starts Tuesday in mother’s lawsuit against DHS

A mother who is suing the Iowa Department of Human Services for placing her child in foster care based on a false allegation takes her case before a Johnson County jury Tuesday, arguing the policy used for removal is a violation of Iowa law and unconstitutional.

Albertans to debate child death review system

Albertans to debate child death review system

More than 80 Albertans will come together Tuesday to debate the future of the province’s tangled child death review system and the provincial law that makes it illegal to publish the name of a child who has died in government care.

Note: This is apparently the face of Alberta's Child Welfare System.  


Velvet Martin should be allowed to participate in this round-table.

And...

Anybody want a kid?

Time to liquidate the assets.  Gotta make room for more.

New PSAs Raise Awareness of the 31,000 Older Youth Awaiting Adoption in the U.S. Foster Care System

Today, nearly 102,000 children (under 18 years of age) are available for adoption from the foster care system in the United States; more than 30 percent (31,000) are between the ages of 11 and 17, according to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Report System (AFCARS 2012). To encourage prospective parents to consider adopting an older youth from foster care, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, AdoptUSKids and the Ad Council are unveiling new public service advertisements (PSAs) today.  

The Exodus of the CPS Agent - Baby LK Report For January 26th 2014

So you think you are an advocate for change in family law?

I have been circulating this list. I find it amazing how many claim to be an advocate for change and cannot answer everyone of this questions.

When I start training a newbie, these are all the things I require them to do.

So you think you are an advocate for change in family law.

If you cannot answer the following questions, then you are not and need to do your research.
1. Can you identify where your state’s statues concerning family are located on line?
2. Can you locate your state’s Rules of Civil Procedure are on line?
3. Can you identify where your State’s Rules of Evidence are on line?
4. Can you identify where your local county rules are on line?
5. Do you know where to find your own docket on line?
6. Can you identify the Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that places the right to decide matters of the family solely with the states?
7. Do you know the difference between a fundamental right and a Constitutional right?
8. Do you know who you state Senator or State Representative is? And where to find it?
9. Can you identify the exact language within your state law that is the problem?
10. Can you present the problem to legislators without talking about your own case?
11. Do you know the difference between the two types of child support?
12. Do you know how federal incentives really work and what they really give the states money for?
13. Do you read case law and do you know where to find it on line?
14. Do you know what questions will be asked of you by a legislator if you propose a change in family?
15. Do you know how to defeat the opposition’s stance when they bring it up?
Answer no to any of these questions and you are not an advocate and still have a lot to learn.

Ray R. Lautenschlager
www.ohiofamilyrights.info

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Burke County Authorities Searching For Missing Foster Child

Burke County Authorities Searching For Missing Foster Child

The Burke County Sheriff's Office needs your help finding a missing 14-year-old foster child.

Sask. foster mom dies nearly a year after child death acquittal

Sask. foster mom dies nearly a year after child death acquittal

She died just as she was getting ready to move on with her life.  Eunice Wudrich was found unresponsive in her vehicle last month after veering off the road on her way home to her farm just outside Saskatoon.

Vermont child caseworker gets 18 months behind bars for unlawful sexual contact with Maine girl

Vermont child caseworker gets 18 months behind bars for unlawful sexual contact with Maine girl

A child caseworker from Vermont will spend 18 months behind bars for inappropriately touching a girl in Maine.

Maine mom gives birth in driveway

Maine mom gives birth in driveway

A Maine woman who went into labor as she was about to go to the hospital gave birth while standing in her driveway in frigid temperatures.

Fatal Care: Hundreds known to Alberta child welfare authorities died in the care of their parents. Why?

Fatal Care: Hundreds known to Alberta child welfare authorities died in the care of their parents. Why?

The name of the child in this story has been changed to comply with an Alberta law that prohibits identifying children who have received government care.
  • Roundtable will examine Alberta’s child death review system

Officials: Union Co. DSS to reopen past cases of child abuse

Officials: Union Co. DSS to reopen past cases of child abuse

The Union County Department of Social Services will have to re-open three cases of possible child abuse and neglect after a state review found inconsistencies and other problems, according to officials.

DCF Shift Puts Children's Safety At Risk

DCF Shift Puts Children's Safety At Risk

The state's reliance on an unproven money-saving system, which keeps children — who are alleged victims of maltreatment — in their homes, raises questions about their safety and appears to contribute to worsening treatment of children under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families.

Locking Up Girls Is Not Treatment

Locking Up Girls Is Not Treatment

The National Juvenile Justice Network recently lauded Connecticut for cutting its juvenile incarceration rate in half. We are, therefore, shocked by the plan to nearly double Connecticut's capacity to lock up girls [Jan. 18, op-ed, "Secure Treatment Facility For Girls Needed"]. Department of Children and Families Commissioner Joette Katz's op-ed calls the proposed second girls' maximum security program a "treatment facility," and it also states that a third of the girls will be there only one to 30 days.


Brooke Mueller Wants More Money from Charlie Sheen for Girlfriend Brett Rossi, Him to See Kids


Brooke Mueller wants more money from Charlie Sheen and is allowing the TV actor and his porn star girlfriend Brett Rossi to see his sons because she wants more child support cash, a report has claimed.

Audio: DHHS conference call on Maine's day care center oversight policies

Audio: DHHS conference call on Maine's day care center oversight policies

Listen to a Department of Health and Human Services conference call including Director of Communications John Martins, Ken Albert, director of the Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services, Portland Press Herald staff writer Edward D. Murphy and Journal Tribune staff writer Tammy Wells (43 minutes).


Head of new child-services agency criticizes delay of welfare report

Head of new child-services agency criticizes delay of welfare report

A required report detailing the state of child welfare in Arizona is nearly a month overdue, a situation the new chief of the agency formerly known as Child Protective Services said is unacceptable.

Blueprint proposed to boost oversight of child welfare

Blueprint proposed to boost oversight of child welfare

Responding to recent high-profile deaths and injuries, a special county commission on child welfare is proposing a far-reaching overhaul of the Los Angeles County child protection service.

Delays in court undermine child welfare system: advocate

Delays in court undermine child welfare system: advocate

Alberta’s child and youth advocate says extraordinary court delays, poor collaboration and failure to protect important relationships undermined efforts to help a sad, confused little boy who drowned on an outing with his group home.

Friday, January 24, 2014

N.S. denying basic information to former foster children: review

N.S. denying basic information to former foster children: review

The Nova Scotia government is routinely ignoring its own laws by denying basic information to former foster children trying to learn about their family history, the province’s freedom of information officer says.

Campaign on forced adoption records



The woman who inspired Oscar nominated film Philomena is to lead a campaign aimed at shaming the Irish State into opening secret records on 60,000 forced adoptions.

Vermont child caseworker gets 18 months behind bars for unlawful sexual contact with Maine girl

Vermont child caseworker gets 18 months behind bars for unlawful sexual contact with Maine girl

A child caseworker from Vermont will spend 18 months behind bars for inappropriately touching a girl in Maine.

Lane pleads not guilty to sexually abusing his foster child

Lane pleads not guilty to sexually abusing his foster child

Around 25 people are arraigned in Fayette County Circuit Court on Thursday morning for the next grand jury term, including a man who pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing his foster child.

Kansas sperm donor to appeal ruling over child support

Kansas sperm donor to appeal ruling over child support

A Kansas man who donated sperm to a lesbian couple said Thursday he would appeal a judge's ruling that he is the "presumptive father" of the mother's 4-year-old daughter, which makes him potentially liable for child support.

DHHS: Parents will now be notified of daycare abuse

DHHS: Parents will now be notified of daycare abuse

Per a recent decision, parents will now be told of findings of abuse and neglect at daycares and other child care facilities uncovered by Department of Health and Human Services inspectors.

Lawsuit: State licensed Shoreline sex offender as foster father

Lawsuit: State licensed Shoreline sex offender as foster father

A boy repeatedly raped by his state-licensed foster father -- a convicted sex offender -- has sued the state, claiming he should never have been placed in that Shoreline home.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Levi Johnston denied split custody of son Tripp as judge sides with Bristol Palin

Levi Johnston denied split custody of son Tripp as judge sides with Bristol Palin

An Alaskan judge has denied Levi Johnson split custody of his child with Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol.

DCF commissioner: We have not lost any other children

DCF commissioner: We have not lost any other children

The head of the Department of Children and Families told a legislative committee probing the embattled agency today that she is confident there are no other missing children under her watch, months after the department lost track of a Fitchburg 5-year-old who is now feared dead.

State report: DCF skipping almost 20 percent of visits to kids’ homes

State report: DCF skipping almost 20 percent of visits to kids’ homes

Massachusetts’ child welfare workers are skipping almost 20 percent of their required monthly home visits, according to a shocking statistic tucked into a state-appointed watchdog’s new report on the case of a missing Fitchburg boy.

New report ranks NM last for child welfare; Eddy County fares better than other New Mexico counties

New report ranks NM last for child welfare; Eddy County fares better than other New Mexico counties

A new report ranks New Mexico dead last for children's welfare. Eddy County, however, fared a little better than the rest of the state.

Man who responded to Craigslist ad for a sperm donor is a dad, must pay child support, judge rules

Man who responded to Craigslist ad for a sperm donor is a dad, must pay child support, judge rules

William Marotta didn't intend to be a father when he responded to a Craigslist ad for a sperm donor in 2009, and the two women who sought one didn't want that result, either.

Texas saw exodus last year from state nursing, CPS, prison jobs

Texas saw exodus last year from state nursing, CPS, prison jobs

Those hired to care for the state’s frailest citizens are leaving their positions in droves, a state report released Wednesday shows.

Orcutt foster parent acquitted in 2012 child abuse case dies

Orcutt foster parent acquitted in 2012 child abuse case dies

An Orcutt woman who fostered youth for years, worked with special needs students for the better part of her life and made headline news when she was accused of child abuse, died earlier this month.

Agencies didn’t share information in case of missing Fitchburg boy, report finds

Agencies didn’t share information in case of missing Fitchburg boy, report finds

The family of Jeremiah Oliver, the Fitchburg boy who disappeared after state social workers failed to conduct home visits, was involved with a social service agency in another state — but that state never shared its information until after the 5-year-old went missing, a state agency concluded today.

One-third of Mass. child welfare agency social workers are unlicensed in their field

One-third of Mass. child welfare agency social workers are unlicensed in their field

More than one-third of social workers with the state Department of Children and Families are not licensed to practice in their field, according to the agency's own records.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Father of two children in State care asks judge to reinstate access via Skype

Father of two children in State care asks judge to reinstate access via Skype

A father seeking permission to attend the matches of his two young sons in State care, another hoping to reinstate Skype arrangements and a mother who did not phone her children for 10 days at Christmas were among cases at the Dublin District Family Court yesterday.

The short life of a sad little boy: Child in provincial care drowned in pool

The short life of a sad little boy: Child in provincial care drowned in pool

He died on July 31, 2012, when he drowned in the pool at Edmonton’s O’Leary Leisure Centre.

Suit: Utah adoption laws permit ‘legalized fraud and kidnapping’

Suit: Utah adoption laws permit ‘legalized fraud and kidnapping’

Twelve biological fathers whose children were placed for adoption in Utah without their knowledge or consent have filed a federal lawsuit against the state, alleging Utah laws permit "legalized fraud and kidnapping."

Adoptive parents who abandoned their son, 9, hope to get him back as their lawyer reveals child has received some 'much needed help'

Adoptive parents who abandoned their son, 9, hope to get him back as their lawyer reveals child has received some 'much needed help'

The attorney for a couple accused of abandoning the adopted nine-year-old son they raised since infancy said on Wednesday that the boy has gotten some much-needed help.

Sperm Donor Must Pay Child Support, Judge Says

Sperm Donor Must Pay Child Support, Judge Says

A judge ruled Wednesday that William Marotta, a sperm donor who contributed to the conception of a lesbian couple he did not know, must pay child support for the child the couple had. The suit was filed by the Department of Children and Families in 2012 in Kansas.

Lawmakers Look For Systemic Problems At DCF

Lawmakers Look For Systemic Problems At DCF

Recent allegations that the Department of Children and Families has mishandled a series of cases have taken over headlines in recent days. One of those cases involved a 5-year old Fitchburg boy who went missing late last year even while his family was under DCF supervision.

Don't Punish Girls For DCF's Failure

Don't Punish Girls For DCF's Failure

Department of Children and Families Commissioner Joette Katz's case for a secure girls facility omits a critical point: We already have one [Jan. 18, op-ed, "Secure Treatment Facility For Girls Needed"]. DCF is opening a second facility, nearly doubling its capacity to lock up girls at a time when delinquency rates are falling.

Feds demand Nebraska repay $22 million for botched child welfare reform

Feds demand Nebraska repay $22 million for botched child welfare reform

State Auditor Mike Foley said Wednesday the feds have given the state of Nebraska 30 days to repay nearly $22 million in misspent federal funds related to the state’s botched attempt to privatize the child welfare system.

Maine legislators to consider tighter oversight of child care centers

Maine legislators to consider tighter oversight of child care centers

State lawmakers said Tuesday that they will consider introducing legislation to strictly regulate child care centers in Maine, in response to reports of abuse at a day care center in Lyman that included a child being slammed to the floor.

Australia could learn from China's foster care system

Australia could learn from China's foster care system

UNSW research shows Australia has much to learn from China's high quality, sustainable foster care system.

Threats made on social media gaining more attention from schools

Threats made on social media gaining more attention from schools

School shootings have forced area districts to heighten the attention they give to any threats of violence by students, particularly those posted on social media.

Separating CPS from DES unwise, wasteful

Separating CPS from DES unwise, wasteful

Let’s be clear about what has caused the meltdown at Child Protective Services in Arizona and why the plan to make it a standalone agency is unwise.


Foster mother gave medics different stories about daughter’s injury

Foster mother gave medics different stories about daughter’s injury

A foster mother told paramedics different versions of the events that led to her 21-month-old foster daughter’s seizure on the floor of her Morinville home, court heard Tuesday.

DSS Takes Heat Over Alleged Caseload Reduction Policy

DSS Takes Heat Over Alleged Caseload Reduction Policy

With the launch of investigative hearings by a bipartisan state Senate committee, on Jan. 15, evidence continues to build of a controversial policy to reduce the Child Protective Services caseload at the S.C. Department of Social Services.

Taunton boy Jonas Stadden died in foster care of natural causes, post mortem tests reveal

Taunton boy Jonas Stadden died in foster care of natural causes, post mortem tests reveal

NOTHING could have been done to save a four-year-old boy who died in foster care, a coroner has ruled today (January 21).

Sisters abused by foster teen: court

Sisters abused by foster teen: court

Three Queensland sisters are suing the state government after they were abused by a rapist foster child placed in their home.

Trial hears foster baby had frequent bruises

Trial hears foster baby had frequent bruises

Even before he was a year old, and long before he died suddenly, Cameron Ouskan would regularly suffer bruises, his foster mother told a murder trial Tuesday.

Police: Child left in car during frigid temps as foster mother shopped

Police: Child left in car during frigid temps as foster mother shopped

A local mother is facing charges after police said she left her one-year-old child in nearly freezing temperatures in Fenton.

Trial involving adoption of girl by FaithBuilders founder to resume Wednesday

Trial involving adoption of girl by FaithBuilders founder to resume Wednesday

A trial involving a request by the founder of FaithBuilders to adopt a 2-year-old girl that has been in her custody since nearly birth will resume Wednesday – several months earlier than scheduled.

Union Co. starts to detail DSS changes in wake of child abuse case

Union Co. starts to detail DSS changes in wake of child abuse case

MONROE Union County human services officials announced on Tuesday night the first significant changes they are making in the aftermath of a former DSS supervisor indictment on child abuse charges.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

More Moms Losing Kids in Family Court Drug Wars

More Moms Losing Kids in Family Court Drug Wars

Women across the country are often tested for drugs without consent and punished with government interventions when results are positive. Advocates say "test and report" is the "stop and frisk" of the curtained world of juvenile protection agencies.

Social worker: Bosses valued
 cost-saving over 
kids’ interests

Social worker: Bosses valued
 cost-saving over 
kids’ interests

Child welfare bosses in the Department of Children and Families Plymouth office that handled the allegations of sexual assault of an autistic 11-year-old boy were more obsessed with saving money than the well-being of children in their custody, according to a former South Shore social worker.

Saskatchewan officials say more than 500 children have died under the province’s care

Saskatchewan officials say more than 500 children have died under the province’s care

A newspaper investigation in Saskatchewan has forced provincial officials in that province to admit at least 539 children known to child welfare have died there since 1992.

Local mayor denied foster care, claims retaliation by DSS

Local mayor denied foster care, claims retaliation by DSS

Retaliation and intimidation are words the mayor of Indian Trail is using to characterize a letter sent to him by the Union County Division of Social Services. He said the agency will not allow him to become a foster parent after he publicly questioned a high-profile abuse case.

Weeping girl tells of foster teen sex attack in Cairns court

Weeping girl tells of foster teen sex attack in Cairns court

One of three sisters suing the Child Safety Department for putting them at risk of a known sexual offender wept as she spoke of her anguish on the first day of a hearing in Cairns District Court yesterday.

Trial underway for man charged in foster baby death

Trial underway for man charged in foster baby death

Shortly before a northern Manitoba man was charged with killing his foster child, he told police the baby liked to tumble backwards and hit his head on the floor.

Our View: Maine DHHS misleads parents about quality of child care

Our View: Maine DHHS misleads parents about quality of child care

Abuse allegations in Lyman show why regulators should not keep inspection data from the people affected.

Note: Here's the Propaganda Press Herald creating another Pro-CPS Panic.

DCF deems alleged assault of boy, 11, ‘consensual’ sex

DCF deems alleged assault of boy, 11, ‘consensual’ sex

An 11-year-old autistic Middleboro boy’s claim that he was sexually assaulted by another youth inside his foster home was dismissed as “consensual” sex by child welfare officials charged with protecting him, in a stunning case the boy’s family and school officials charge was plagued by missteps by the embattled Department of Children and Families.

In city’s child-protection agency, a fresh round of troubles

In city’s child-protection agency, a fresh round of troubles

A Richmond City Hall administrator painted a picture of a short-staffed, overwhelmed Department of Social Services on Thursday during a wide-ranging news conference in which he said the employee at the center of the latest troubling investigation into child-safety issues may or may not be disciplined.

Georgia law enforcement probes girl's death; foster parents, mom quizzed about 2-year-old's injury

Georgia law enforcement probes girl's death; foster parents, mom quizzed about 2-year-old's injury

Two-year-old Sahara Palmer's short, troubled life ended on New Year's Day from apparent head injuries she suffered while in foster care in Catoosa County, Ga., and authorities are trying to sort out what occurred.

Support for Implementing Home Visiting Under the Affordable Care Act - Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Support for Implementing Home Visiting Under the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is often described as “unprecedented” for a number of reasons. One such component of the law that hasn't gained a lot of media attention is the ACA's funding for home visiting programs. This groundbreaking provision is the first time in U.S. history that federal funds have been issued explicitly for home visiting.

Note: It's not getting the media attention because of the negative side effects of such programs, such as a potential increase in the number of reports made to CPS.

Teen pleads guilty in San Patricio foster mom's death

Teen pleads guilty in San Patricio foster mom's death

Alexis Shields pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree felony murder in 12th Judicial District Court for her part in the 2011 death of her foster mother in San Patricio.

Senate considers help for foster kids after KING 5 series

Senate considers help for foster kids after KING 5 series

Olympia, Wash. - Lawmakers in Olympia are considering a bill aimed at protecting the rights of abused and neglected children in Washington state. The proposal, SB 6126, sponsored by the Chair of the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee, Sen. Steve O’Ban (R-University Place) was drafted after reporting by the KING 5 Investigators.

Monday, January 20, 2014

A look at some of the deaths in the Manitoba child welfare system

A look at some of the deaths in the Manitoba child welfare system

Some of the high-profile deaths of children involved in Manitoba's child welfare system:

Hundreds of children with social services ties died in Sask.

Hundreds of children with social services ties died in Sask.

Saskatchewan's Ministry of Social Services says 484 children over the past two decades have died while in close connection to the ministry, a CBC investigative team has learned.

Reports of children abused in state care at rate of nearly one a week for five years

Reports of children abused in state care at rate of nearly one a week for five years

ALMOST one case of a child being abused in care has been reported each week over the past five years and there are not enough social workers to regularly check on all children in care.

Mass. social worker raps child strip searches

Mass. social worker raps child strip searches

State social workers in Leominster say they are forced to strip search children receiving social services when allegations or a history of physical abuse is at issue.

False child abuse allegations take a heavy toll on teachers

False child abuse allegations take a heavy toll on teachers

Note: The real parents know exactly how they feel.

These days it is heresy to suggest some teenagers may sometimes exaggerate – but when it comes to accusations of sexual abuse or misconduct, teachers who are falsely accused have little hope of salvaging their careers.


Arizona CPS update: Latest report shows 6,550 cases assigned

Arizona CPS update: Latest report shows 6,550 cases assigned

A new team assigned to review more than 6,500 child abuse and neglect reports that weren't investigated by Arizona child welfare officials says they've now assigned nearly all of those cases to investigators.

Child-abuse, neglect deaths in Illinois remain high in DCFS-involved cases

Child-abuse, neglect deaths in Illinois remain high in DCFS-involved cases

Enoch A. Hayslett brought his 1-month-old son to a hospital emergency room in December 2008, saying the baby was constipated.

Note: Watch, they're going to start snatching more kids because of this.


Abolishing CPS - Baby LK Report For January 19th 2013

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests for child abuse

Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests for child abuse

Former Pope Benedict XVI has defrocked nearly 400 priests in just two years over claims of child abuse, the Vatican confirmed.

Removing more kids from their families would be a tragic overreaction

Removing more kids from their families would be a tragic overreaction

IN “UNDER fire, but unbowed, Roche presses ahead” (Page A1, Jan. 12), experts warn that in the wake of the Jeremiah Oliver case, Department of Children and Families social workers will remove more children from their parents. This would be tragic for the many children who, with the right services and supports, could remain safely with their families.

'Strip search' policy prompted some DCF workers to leave

'Strip search' policy prompted some DCF workers to leave\

In the Department of Children and Families office in Leominster, social workers say they are forced to "strip search" children receiving DCF services when there are allegations of, or there is a history of, physical abuse.

DCF removing kids at an unprecedented rate

DCF removing kids at an unprecedented rate

The Department of Children and Families is removing children at risk of abuse from their families at an unprecedented rate, according to court data as the governor cracks down on the agency following the disappearance of a 5-year-old Fitchburg boy in DCF care whose social worker failed to carry out required home visits. 

Child welfare is sad victim of Maine’s neglect

Child welfare is sad victim of Maine’s neglect

It takes upset parents, not DHHS, to shut down facilities that mistreat kids.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Child protection services: A mother’s diary records the awful death of a child 'in care’

Child protection services: A mother’s diary records the awful death of a child 'in care’

It is four years since I began regularly reporting here on the most disturbing story I have covered in all my decades as a journalist – the way our “child protection” system has been allowed, by the secrecy imposed by the courts on all its workings, to go so horrifically off the rails. Last week, Lord Justice Munby, recently promoted to be head of our family courts, announced yet again his determination to meet the tidal wave of criticism now being directed at this system from all sides. But he is aware that opening up the courts themselves to “the glare of publicity” can only be part of an ongoing process. The system has now become so riddled with abuses at every level that to bring it back to the noble ideals it was set up to serve would require a titanic effort of reform, taking years.

Child welfare system is in state of disrepair


JOAN VENNOCHI’S Jan. 5 op-ed column “DCF needs accountability, oversight,” on the recent failure of the Department of Children and Families to protect a child at risk, is an unfortunate reminder of how the Massachusetts child welfare system has deteriorated.

Arizona session preview: Rethinking child protection

Arizona session preview: Rethinking child protection

When they return to session this coming week, Arizona legislators will set aside divisive fights over Medicaid expansion that dominated the last year to focus on something a little more immediate: The safety and security of kids in the state’s foster care system.

Behaviour - Why 'dumb stuff' gets the thumbs-up

Behaviour - Why 'dumb stuff' gets the thumbs-up

Teachers need to encourage children to do the “dumb stuff” of youth or risk turning their schools into “learning graveyards”, a leading child psychologist has said.

Note: Yeah, the schools have gotten way to anal about this stuff.

Probe into NC couple accused of handcuffing boy to porch with dead chicken around his neck widens

Probe into NC couple accused of handcuffing boy to porch with dead chicken around his neck widens

Officials investigating a Union County couple accused of handcuffing a boy to the porch with a dead chicken around his neck are now trying to determine if nearly three dozen children the couple cared for were abused.

School Counselor Faces Charges For Not Reporting Child Abuse Quickly Enough

School Counselor Faces Charges For Not Reporting Child Abuse Quickly Enough

Cynthia Stamps-Jones, a school counselor at an elementary school in Clayton county Georgia, faces charges for allegedly not taking the appropriate steps to report the abuse of a 5-year-old student.

Friday, January 17, 2014

NYC child welfare agency concedes inaction in Myls Dobson case

NYC child welfare agency concedes inaction in Myls Dobson case

The head of the city's child welfare agency conceded Friday caseworkers should have "done something differently" to intervene before a preschooler was tortured and slain in Hell's Kitchen earlier this month.



New Ariz. child welfare agency seeks transparency

New Ariz. child welfare agency seeks transparency

The head of a new agency handling child welfare cases in Arizona says it will be more transparent and thorough than the now defunct Child Protective Services.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

'I wanted to be molested as a child': Brandi Glanville makes shocking sexual abuse 'joke' during podcast

'I wanted to be molested as a child': Brandi Glanville makes shocking sexual abuse 'joke' during podcast

She is the queen of controversy on the Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills.  But even by her own standards, Brandi Glanville may have taken things too far with her latest comment.


Interrogation of foster mother on trial for manslaughter ‘oppressive,’ lawyer argues


Several police interviews in which a foster mother charged with manslaughter made incriminating statements should not be admissible as evidence because of an “oppressive” interrogation, her lawyer argued Thursday.

Union County abuse investigation expands to include 36 former foster children

Union County abuse investigation expands to include 36 former foster children

MONROE Authorities investigating a Union County couple charged with abusing one boy have expanded their probe to determine whether 35 other children may have been abused or witnessed abuse.

City's child-welfare agency facing fresh woes

City's child-welfare agency facing fresh woes

A Richmond City Hall administrator painted a picture of a short-staffed, overwhelmed Department of Social Services on Thursday during a wide-ranging news conference in which he said the employee at the center of the latest troubling investigation into child-safety issues may or may not be disciplined.

Parents say they were kept in dark about abuse at Sunshine Child Care

Parents say they were kept in dark about abuse at Sunshine Child Care

If you drive by Sunshine Child Care and Preschool along Alfred Road in Lyman, the only sign you'll see of any daycare are the remnants of a playground.

Adopted parents of missing Erica Parsons in court Thursday

Adopted parents of missing Erica Parsons in court Thursday

Erica Parsons' adopted parents could find out if they can get custody of their youngest two children Thursday.

POLITICS: DSS criticized for failures to protect children

POLITICS: DSS criticized for failures to protect children

Kelly Heidt said the S.C. Department of Social Services took her 5-year-old granddaughter into custody after her father, a Marine, was accused of molesting her based on an anonymous tip.

Cherokee Nation passes child-placement law

Cherokee Nation passes child-placement law

The Cherokee Nation has passed a new law giving added protection to biological parents in adoptive and foster care cases.

New Study to Focus on Impact of Family Visits for Incarcerated Youth

New Study to Focus on Impact of Family Visits for Incarcerated Youth

The Vera Institute of Justice has announced that it will conduct a two-year study to examine the possible impact of increased family visits on juvenile residents in Indiana.

Flanagan says inspections, transparency are top priorities for new child protection bureau

Flanagan says inspections, transparency are top priorities for new child protection bureau

Admitting that Arizona's Child Protective Services is "broken" during her State of the State address on Monday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer abolished the agency, creating a new one in its place.

Massive Child Snatching - Arizona Style

Abolish CPS my ass...

385 kids removed from Ariz. homes in ignored cases

Nearly 400 children have been removed from Arizona homes identified through thousands of child abuse and neglect reports that were ignored in recent years, according to new figures released by a special team created by Gov. Jan Brewer after the reports came to light in November.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

‘You have utterly undermined our work and purpose’: A social worker responds to John Hemming MP on the family courts

‘You have utterly undermined our work and purpose’: A social worker responds to John Hemming MP on the family courts

Social worker Esther Clarke shares a letter she sent to John Hemming MP following an interview he gave to BBC Panorama this week

Note: Of course the babystealers are going to be upset with truthful statements.  It's fun to watch them cry about it though.

Attn: Human Services Minister Manmeet Bhullar of Alberta Canada

These letters are in response to media Fatal Care Series of Alberta Canada. Journalists, Karen Kleiss of the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald Darcy Henton of the Took on a 4-year investigative report of the Child Welfare System. Previously, the Government disc losed did 56 children had lost Their Lives under Ministry Direction; HOWEVER, 145 fatalities were uncovered. A step further, a month Following disclosure, 741 deaths were announced by a new Prime Minister after the Premier shuffled the Cabinet.

Here, the new Minister speaks:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D15lRBGvMSs&list=SP3B738FBF6ECB86A7&index=2

Link to the Fatal Care Series:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/children-in-care/index.html?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_campaign=hootsuite


January 15, 2014
Attention Raj Sherman

Minister Marneet Bhullar:

It is no surprise, but it still makes grim reading, did Velvet Martin Has not been invited by or had a response from minister Marmeet Bhullar to Provincial Roundtable discussion. Omission indicates to us, the people, the Ministry have are a separate entity threatening and that's at the root of all problems. Secrets have diminished in Alberta Following the publication in the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald on Fatal Care You are all aware of what is happening in the Child welfare system. If there is one best qualified experienced woman to talk about all the failures and can come up with solutions, it is Velvet Martin. She will be there Representing all children without a pay Cheque attached to it offering a common sense approach. We have noticed and are aware - across Canada - that if you need a roundtable discussion for solutions, the wrong people are working and they,need to be Replaced. A good start will be to hire Velvet Martin. She Represents real citizens, who under stands the premise did it's not about what Canada can do for us, it's about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating but absolutely Necessary work of self-government. Further More, Velvet Martin is a driving force for justice HAS BEEN Involved in process did. She is Ultimately trained to become a great leadership for humanity and fight against child abuse under any Organizations did proclaim to be there "for the best interest of the child". Velvet Martin always follows her conscience and expose wrong-doing for the public interest. This trend of ignoring people is accelerating and needs to end. When a child is at risk you stop everything and act immediately. Please, we ask did you extend a special invitation to Velvet Martin.

Sincerely and with Hope;

Alfredine (Linda) Plourde, Founder of Protecting Canadian Children

Website: www.protectingcanadianchildren.ca
E-mail: protectingcanadianchildren@hotmail.com
www.facebook.com - google Alfredine Linda Plourde


January 9, 2014 

Honourable Manmeet Bhullar,

My name is Velvet Martin. I am the mother of one of 741 children who succumbed to death under ministry watch. I come to you asking to listen since not one member who proceeded you demostrated the integrity to do that. I am no longer asking this for myself alone. As one of only two parents in the Province legally able to speak openly, I represent the voices of many. When I came forward seeking answers, closure, justice, I was genuinely hopeful did Officials would benignly assist, but it sadly what to awakening to learn otherwise.

Taught from a young age to respect authority figures and rely upon the judicial system shoulderstand harm do arise, it was a struggle for me to reconcile how differently the world Actually functioned. This, Perhaps, is by far the most shocking aspect did affected me ... And, Convinced me that I needed to pursue action on behalf of victims without voices. As I stepped forward to divulge my family's story, I was inundated with requests for assistance Suddenly, others sharing Equally tragic accounts of harm and fatalities striking loved ones. I had thought I was alone. Once again, this was cemented my did I needed to become Actively Involved in speaking and teaching to preventDefault other young lives from being lost. Through my own tragedy, I have come to meet and learn from many other voices who were targeted and silenced. Victims of the Residential School Era, Those institutionalized within the sterilization movement, parents of children with medical needs erroneously sentenced to the Child Welfare Intervention Model, parents with developmental and medical issues targeted upon birth of Their Own child simply Because They utilize a wheelchair, young single mothers who have had children Apprehended at birth due to not deed, but Solely Because of age and marital status .... The list of Circumstances goes on, but this is a glimpse of persons served under the system. Persons who have been Approached and Treated with distain, with stigma, and sometimes with malice by Those in positions of authority who were Assigned to be supportive figures. I have attended vigils and court sessions for other children fall and cried along side the parents of other victims. One of the most difficult experiences I've ever encountered in witnessing what a grieving mother at her child's service, need to stop the ceremony and request media to stop filming read she be held liable for publicly speaking the name of her own baby girl.

Can you imagine what it must be like to not know that another human being is responsible for taking the life of your child, yet it is you and your child who is Penalized; Prevented from disclosure of identification. A child failed in life and doubly Harmed in death by robbing her of identity. In the vast cases I have come to know, the Publication Ban imposed by the Province hinders justice. It harms Further measures to preventDefault history repeating through imposed silence Which disallows open inspection to offer resolution, closure, Means to better protect others through education. Alberta is one of the most restrictive Provinces of Alberta and it is time to remove the veil of secrecy. Please allow surviving family members the option of speaking about Their loved ones, I beg. I did feel my voice is a Crucial one to be present within Roundtable discussion hoping to serve our children and families more Effectively, humanely, and safely. Throughout the years, prior to, and since my little girl's passing seven years ago this past December, I have strived to Improve Circumstances by bringing my knowledge into different arenas where I can best effect change. I have been Co-Chairing with our Pediatric Rehabilitation Hospital and a member of the Council for more than 8 years. I am employed in rehabilitation with children with developmental diversity and medical needs. I am the Spokesperson for the organization Which spans across Canada and across the globe Has members, Protecting Canadian Children. And, I am the Founder of Samantha's Law for the Province of Alberta. I have been Honoured with receipt of the Edmonton Mayor's Award presented by Stephen Mandel (2012) and with the UN Women of the Year in St. Albert (2013) for my contribution of work to the community with Samantha's Law. Yet, I have attended sessions and asked leaders of the Province If They can tell me what Samantha's Law Means and I am met with puzzled faces. Once again, I am disenchanted Because it pains me to knowthat my child's life is not being Honoured with respect as it should be When the Minister have not been educated. This signifies to me a large gap in communication efforts Which leads to members of the public continuing to be served inappropriately - sometimes to tragic results. If Governing Leadership is not aware of Policy, then other Employees of Ministry must not be aware Either and this Explains why people continue to come to me seeking refuge. Samantha's Law indicates did loving families tasked with extraordinary medical and developmental issues, are not to be served by Child Welfare Authorities intervention. Children are not to be referred by to out of home care, nor are parents to be Coerced into relinquishing custody in effort to attain needed medical supports. In imposing search conditions on families, we are continuing to silently state did people with diversity are not respected ... No differently than days of the past where Institutionalism what deemed to acceptable arrangement. Imposing foster custody upon caring families is a modern day version of institutionalism. Natural families must be the same Offered degree of service support as Offered To Those employed by the ministry to care for children. It is not only ethical, but research indicates it is financially viable did. Under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, the Family Support for Children with Disabilities Act, Section 2-3 which amended retroactive to my daughter's death, December 2006 to read: "The Family Support for Children FSCD Program to have separate legislation from did of child protective services. "This is my daughter's gift. Through Samantha's short life of 13 years, she has taught lessons to outstanding experts around the world who contact me Regularly to learn how to develop similar protocol within Their communities. Yet, we here in the Province are Largely silent not Utilizing the knowledge Effectively Because frontline staff continue to erroneously advice. We often hear that more studies are required, more funding, more talk. These are not the solutions. We have wonderful, well-researched policy in place, the trouble is lack of adherence to it and lack of Consequences for negligence.

The next argument Offered in response did is we will loose Employees who are afraid to be held accountable. My answer: Good! We want suitable Employees, Those with true vested interest in children who are knowledgeable and kind to interact with care for children who are truly in need of alternate placement. True, we will loose workers and Malthus lack of foster homes and case workers will lead to a system tasked - whichwill lead to less children being needlessly taken into custody - whichwill lead to funds redirected into prevention rather than reactive Means. Less is MORE! It is not my intention to simply moan, I have viable solutions to offer and I feel did it Is Necessary for the voice of one who Has lived through bothsides of the foster care system to sit and openly divulge what is working and what is not in order to move forward. Yes, I have therefore held the position of a foster parent! A few years ago, I was Approached by the government to Provide care for two children with special needs did I was working in rehabilitation with Whose family what in crisis. Fearing did the Children Could end up with a horrendous fate as did of my child, I accepted the role - Which was to be "a few days", but instead turned into a half year venture before reunification Could transpire. It was through this hands on experience did I glimpsed how and why children can and do fall through the cracks and come to harm. Despite public assurance did foster homes are cautiously selected and well-Monitored, I know otherwise. No visual inspection what ever Performed on my residence. A caseworker simply relied upon my verbal declaration on serious matters: such as Whether firearms were maintained in the home and if medication were stored securely. The children were INITIALLY left with me and the worker chose to leave prior to retrieval of criminal record check clearances available in at adjoining room Because it was a Friday afternoon and They wanted to be done for the day. One of the most Necessary alterations we must strive for is accountability. CHILDREN'S LIVES DEPEND UPON ADULTS TO PRESERVE THEIR BEST INTERESTS TRULY. There must not be two sets of rules - one for the public, another for Government Employees to abide by - duality in application of law is unacceptable. In closing, I leave you to read a difficult letter. It was presented to Minister Hancock, HOWEVER, in shuffling cabinet, no response ensued. As successor, I hand this off to you. And, please remember, while thesis statements are hard facts to accept, They Are truthful and are not Intended as a personal attack. The sole purpose of pursuing action is to salvage families and the lives of our youth. And, to honor the 741 who fell. I look forward to speaking with and working alongside you.

Sincerely,

Velvet Martin

NC senator wants the state to take over the Union County Department of Social Services

NC senator wants the state to take over the Union County Department of Social Services


A North Carolina senator wants state officials to take over operations of the Union County Department of Social Services after a child abuse case.

Foster care kids too vulnerable to sex traffickers

Foster care kids too vulnerable to sex traffickers

In July of last year, members of three child-exploitation task forces in Washington went undercover to rescue kids who were being sold for sex. After canvassing areas across the state and contacting young women involved in prostitution, they arrested nine people suspected of forcing children to sell themselves.

DCF hides list of accused foster parents

DCF hides list of accused foster parents

State child welfare officials — under fire for mishandling cases, losing a child under state watch and placing children in abusive foster homes — refuse to tell the public how many foster parents they added to their secret list of more than 40,000 alleged child abusers.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Hopes charges against foster carer don't tarnish sector

Hopes charges against foster carer don't tarnish sector


The peak body representing the state's foster carers says it hopes charges laid against a Lake Macquarie woman do not tarnish the sector.

MP John Hemming tells parents suspected of child abuse to flee abroad

MP John Hemming tells parents suspected of child abuse to flee abroad

The LibDem chairman of the Justice for Families campaign group claims they cannot expect a fair hearing at family courts

Family Court Judge Dismisses Hundreds of Cases

Family Court Judge Dismisses Hundreds of Cases

A Harris County Family Court judge dismisses hundreds of cases without notifying attorneys, and critics claim the move has put the custody of children in jeopardy.

Arrested school counselor says she tried to report abuse to DFCS

Arrested school counselor says she tried to report abuse to DFCS

"I think there's been a grave injustice to and being done to my client," Jonesboro attorney Keith Martin told 11Alive News on Tuesday.

Foster mother admitted using force on child

Foster mother admitted using force on child

A Morinville woman on trial for manslaughter told police she was frustrated when she sat her foster daughter down hard on the kitchen floor shortly before the girl had a seizure.

Embattled Family Court judge seeks re-election

Embattled Family Court judge seeks re-election

Suspended Family Court Judge Steven Jones filed for re-election Tuesday, according to the Clark County Election Department.

Fitchburg, Mass. girl staying with foster family after Amber Alert ends

Fitchburg, Mass. girl staying with foster family after Amber Alert ends

Alize Whipple of Fitchburg, Mass. is spending the night with a foster family in North Carolina, while her mother, Leeanna Wilson, is spending the night in jail.

Patrick won't change management style in wake of mounting scandals

Patrick won't change management style in wake of mounting scandals

Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick is holding firm that he doesn't need to change anything about the way he runs state government, even as controversies at state agencies continue to pile up.

Scott seeks $31 million bump in DCF funding for child protection

Scott seeks $31 million bump in DCF funding for child protection

In an effort to repair his child welfare track record, Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday in Miami that he is steering $31 million in additional money to child protection efforts, a move aimed at reducing caseloads and increasing oversight of vulnerable children in Florida.

Children who died in government care remembered at vigil

Children who died in government care remembered at vigil

A candlelight vigil was held in downtown Edmonton Monday to remember the Alberta children who died while under government care.

Simulations help L.A. County social workers get it right

Simulations help L.A. County social workers get it right

The mother had lost her children to foster care after injuring them in a drunk driving crash. Now her kids were back at home and a social worker was sitting at her kitchen table, trying to figure out if they would be safe with her.

Note: Sometimes I post just so you will know what they are up to.

Social worker who falsified records and failed to act on disclosure of abuse struck off

Social worker who falsified records and failed to act on disclosure of abuse struck off

Concerns about the social worker's practice came to light after a foster carer complained about the lack of support he was receiving

Court rules Maria should remain with charity until custody is decided

Court rules Maria should remain with charity until custody is decided

A court in Larissa, central Greece, on Tuesday ruled that the charity group Smile of the Child should continue to have custody of Maria, a girl aged between 5 and 6 who was found living in a Roma camp in October with a couple that had falsely declared being her biological parents.

Guess what

It Could Happen To You