AZ: CPS taking more children ;New effort may stir trouble, experts say

AZ Republic ^ | Karina Bland

[hsmomx3]

Moving away from a policy of keeping families together, child welfare workers are taking more abused and neglected children away from their homes.

Since Gov. Janet Napolitano called on Child Protective Services in January to make child safety a priority over family unity, 21 percent more children have been moved into foster care.

[archy]

Since illegal aliens are felons, wouldn't it make sense to take the children away from any of them who are captured? After all, that could prevent their being dragged further into the alien criminal gang culture that's flourishing in Arizona as things are now standing.

[SuperVillain]

well, since illegal aliens aren't US citizens, and neither are their kids, there'd be so much legal red tape that you'd have to cut through it with a machete. it'd be a very controversial law, and quite frankly, i can live with that.

[archy]

well, since illegal aliens aren't US citizens, and neither are their kids...

A false premise in many cases; many of their children, born in the US, are indeed native-born Americans, sometimes with siblings who are not.

-archy-/-

[trussell]

My ex sister-in-law is very abusive to her teenage children. They ran away and tried to tell cps about it and they didn't listen to them. She has grounded he son to his room. He has been stuck in his room for 5 months, and she says he is grounded until school starts again-maybe longer.

She has a teenage daughter that she treats badly too. The two teenagers are never taken to town (she takes her 6 year old), She locks them in the house. She has a padlock on the pantry so they can't get any food then she takes the younger one out to eat.

Her son is only allowed out of his room to eat (she screams at him that he eats too much and wont let him get more), use the restroom, and clean the house.

Every time I talk to her on the phone (I stay in contact for the kids sake), she is screaming that she is going to "kick his a$$", "throw him through the wall", "kill him" etc...

CPS wont listen to me when I try to tell them this either, because she helped her brother, my ex, steal my children. They consider any report from me to be revenge oriented.

Any ideas on how to help these kids would be appreciated.

P.S. We live in Colorado

[Spiff]

Along with the governor's edict, CPS caseworkers began using a new safety assessment form in January to better determine whether children are at risk.

Uh-oh. Better get a copy of that assessment form and see just how badly they would rate the "safety" of my homeschooled children if CPS ever made the mistake of messing with my family.

And now, a governor's commission on the reform of CPS wants to rewrite state laws, putting children's safety first.

Translation, the State will now start ignoring the rights of parents and family even more and will take children then ask questions later. Great. The CPS jackals and their jackboots gain more power.

[marajade]

That's what you want... I actually agree with Napolitano in this regard...

[First Amendment]

Any ideas on how to help these kids would be appreciated.

How sad - I am very sorry to hear of those poor kids (nephew and neice?). The only thing I can think of (I'm sure more knowledgeable Freepers may have some ideas) is to maintain contact with the kids as much as possible - write, call, let them know you care, there is an outside world... They are going to be (already are I'm sure) emotionally damaged because of their mothers' abuse.

Most states have something called "emancipated minor" status - actually, my sister stole my 15 year old daughter and she got it. (I wasn't abusive, the rest of the family hates religion.) Maybe a paralegal or family counselor type person could help you find out about it.

[glory]

Most of the children are developmentally delayed, the result of neglect, Porter said. Many of the 1- and 2-year-olds don't talk. Some of the 3- and 4-year-olds are still in diapers.>>

Are they crazy??? My very bright 5 year old didn't start talking until 2 yrs and she was out of diapers at 3. My son is 3 and does not talk(much) and is still in diapers(he is definitely delayed, but the extent of which and why we still don't know--likely autistic from all accounts). These ages seem pretty unreasonable, especially the lower end. Most kids really blossom in language in their 3rd year ie 2 to 3 yrs, yet by these standard they are delayed based on neglect, and many parents struggle with FULL training of their children before 3 years, heck, I don't even believe in the type of training that has you marching a child in the potty who is obviously not ready since they still have accident upon accident and are fighting it. Potty training can get to be a real power struggle instead of the child's accomplishment.

[DLfromthedesert]

Spiff, relax. I take care of children of cocaine and heroin users; one who took her baby home and killed her with breast milk laced with heroin.

This has nothing to do with home schoolers. Butch is right on this one.

[Spiff]

Butch is WRONG on this one. Already, I've seen CPS bully their way into innocent families' homes and take their children. In one case the fair-skinned son had a quarter-sized bruise near his buttocks (caused when he and his friends were playing light sabers with PVC pipes) and CPS ended up taking all three children (no other abuse was even suspected) for three years. The children ended up in terrible foster circumstances including unlicensed foster homes. The very young girls were repeatedly subjected to gynecological examinations, the family paid thousands of dollars in legal expenses and submitted to intrusive measures and therapy. In the end CPS finally admitted that all allegations (there were never any formal criminal charges) were meritless and returned the very damaged children to the family.

This was not an isolated incident. CPS already has too much power when it comes to taking children - they certainly don't need more.

[DLfromthedesert]

That's the problem. They were taking children that they shouldn't have, and left kids in homes of druggies who abused them.

[Spiff]

That's the problem. They were taking children that they shouldn't have, and left kids in homes of druggies who abused them.

So, by giving CPS MORE power, you're solving the problem of taking the wrong children how?

[just deserts]

"In the end CPS finally admitted that all allegations (there were never any formal criminal charges) were meritless and returned the very damaged children to the family."

This is the M.O. CPS uses in all states. There seldom are any formal criminal charges. If charges were filed you would get a chance to defend yourself in a criminal court. No charges, just allegations and accusations. These accusations are usually made against people without the financial means to defend themselves so they get their court appointed attorney who represents them in juvenile court. You never get a real trial. When you appear in juvenile court, you get told you have no rights there, you are not a juvenile. The judge, the CPS workers, the court appointed attorneys, the myriad of therapists, the group homes, they are all drawing their sustanance from the taxpayers pockets. It's not quite as big as the WOsD but give it a little more time. It's for the children, you know.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not naive. Unfortunately, children are abused for real everyday. The tragedy in all of this is just how many of these cases actually turn out to be unfounded. They numbers are astronomical. Somebody help me out here, but isn't it something like 85% ultimately end up unfounded. What other place but government could you have numbers like that and still exist?

[Spiff]

You're preaching to the choir. Been there, seen it too.

I like the new law that Bush signed. It's a baby step, but it might help some non-abused children stay home with their families. I fear, however, that it will be ignored just like the current law that says that "reasonable efforts" must be made to reunite families or at least place children with relatives. CPS agencies routinely ignore that one.

[Kuksool]

{a governor's commission on the reform of CPS wants to rewrite state laws, putting children's safety first.}

Who ordained Butch to be the dictator of AZ? I thought the GOP controls the AZ General Assembly. Don't they have a say on rewriting state laws regarding CPS? Or are the GOP leaders of AZ a bunch of spineless RINOS?

[lawdude]

"Since Gov. Janet Napolitano called on Child Protective Services in January to make child safety a priority over family unity, 21 percent more children have been moved into foster care. "

No surprise since Janet Napolireno had a good teacher. Another lib kid killer. All talk and death is the end result!