Reunification Services

Question: what does termination of reunification services mean? i just found out that my partners reunification services were terminated. what does this mean? did she lose her son forever or what? is there any other way to get him back? i am very angry and upset right now and dont know where to start....

Answer: It means your partner has a very big problem. When reunification services are terminated that means the court is no longer looking at helping your partner receive the necessary services to get custody of her child. In fact, the court will now be looking at long term placement and or guardianship and or adoption. The next step for the court is to terminate parental rights and adopt the child out or place the child in a permanent guardianship or give the other parent sole legal and sole physical custody. Your partner can file a motion for modification and request that reunification services be re-opened. You really should have an attorney for this one. She has not lost her child forever... I can guess, though, that she probably has very limited visitation at this time. If the child is less that 3 years they will be definately looking at adoption and termination of parental rights. Contact an attorney and file a motion to re-open reunification services. Remember reunification is terminated when the parent does not cooperate with the plan and/or it is very unlikely that the parent will benefit from further reunification based upon a history of not following the current plan.

Question: what do family reunification services consist of?

Answer: The services usually consist of parenting classes, rehabilitation for drugs or alcohol, and any other programs that assist parents on getting on the right track to be reunited with their child or children again.

Question: my partners reunification services for her son was terminated, what does that mean? i just found out that my partners reunification services were terminated. what does this mean? did she lose her son forever or what? is there any other way to get him back? i am very angry and upset right now and dont know where to start....

Answer: Reunification was the process whereby your partner was given support during the process of reconcilling with her son. An attempt at reunifcation was probably ordered by the Court who has jurisdiction over her son; however, it also could have been a process started by the Children's Social Worker, who is working for a dependency Court. Usually, the parent is tasked to complete parenting classes, and/or is given an opportunity to have more and more time with the child. If the reconcilliation process doesn't work, either because the parent has not complied with the Child's Social Worker's (and/or the Court's) instructions, or because the parent and the child can not get along during the visitation periods, then the parent's rights can be terminated. Until there is a Court Hearing where the Hearing Officer (usually a Judge) decides to terminate parental rights, your partner still has a chance to make reunification work. The way it looks right now, the Parent is going to have to ask the Court for another chance to have her Son returned to her. In the meantime, her Son will be placed in a Foster Home or a Group Home while the Child's Social Worker figures out a permanent placement. The Court will soon decide whether or not the Parent will have visitation rights, and whether or not there must be a monitor present during visitations. The Court could decide that the visitations could include overnights or could decide to be more restrictive, based on what the Court believes is best for the welfare of her son. The Court System usually gives a lot of chances to a Parent, because most Hearing Officers believe that the best placement for a child is with one or both parents. I think the best you can do is talk the situation over with your partner and try to understand what really happened. (It was probably more than "bad luck" that caused the attempt at reunification of the family to be halted.)

Question: Why do illegals and their supporters use the Statue of Liberty to mask their illegally being here? I have read quite a few questions lately referring again to the Statue of Liberty being used as saying that illegal aliens are welcome, what do you think? Is this just more masking of their illegal behavior? How can anyone think that a Famous landmark advocates illegal aliens entering our country by breaking the laws our forefathers set in place? XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX… Lady Liberty Not a Welcome Mat By Brenda Walker Published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on July 4, 2003 Great icons may suffer great misunderstandings in which erroneous mythology grows to obliterate the real meaning of an important symbol. Probably the most misunderstood image in America is the Statue of Liberty, which is surely burdened with more wrong ideas than any other symbol in our history. First and foremost, Lady Liberty was never designed as a welcome mat for immigrants, those huddled masses about whom we hear so much sentimentality. The real name of the statue is "Liberty Enlightening the World" which states the true meaning. Indeed, the sculptor's intent was for the statue to inspire millions around the world to emulate the freedom of the United States, not to leave home and come here. The statue is at heart a revolutionary symbol for the oppressed to throw off their chains and create their own democracy under law. Sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi believed deeply in republican government and dreamed of having it in his native France, remarking, "I will try to glorify the Republic and Liberty over there, in the hope that someday I will find it again here." Further, the Emma Lazarus poem, "The New Colossus" which is a hymn to immigration, is not inscribed on the base of the statue, as some would have us believe, and has no connection at all with Bartholdi's vision. The statue was inaugurated in 1886 quite adequately with no Emma Lazarus. The poem's inclusion was a completely separate event, dedicated by some friends of the poet in 1903 after her death. The Statue of Liberty's intent to inspire people to build their own democratic societies is even more important now that the planet is home to over six billion persons. The huddled masses cannot all be saved by immigration to America. The rescue paradigm of immigration is clearly no longer appropriate, if it ever was. The numbers of needy poor worldwide are simply too high. In fact, the "wretched refuse of your teeming shore" threatens to become a permanent underclass, since even the most basic educational standards in selecting immigrants have been disregarded. Because of the emphasis on "family reunification," one-third of current legal immigrants have not graduated from high school -- hardly the ideal newcomers to a modern society in the 21st century. Each of those immigrants without a high school education will consume an average of $89,000 in services beyond what is paid in taxes, according to a National Academy of Sciences study. The Lazarus poem should be removed from Bedloe Island and banished to a dark corner of the Smithsonian as an artifact of another time. The poem perpetuates the myth that America can grow in population forever, which is a deeply damaging idea. The physical requirements of so many people are destroying the nation's environmental carrying capacity and our natural heritage of inspiring open vistas. Removing the plaque would be an important step toward reclaiming our heritage. "Liberty Enlightening the World" is a far more noble sentiment than "Mother of Exiles" which celebrates victimhood. We must face the limits of our overcrowded world with creativity and realism. America's message for this century must be to urge local development, e.g. through microlending. On the crowded planet, relieving poverty where people live must be the aim. It's high time that America provided better environmental leadership regarding overpopulation, and removing the obsolete Lazarus poem from the Statue of Liberty would be a good place to start. Brenda Walker is a writer living in California. She is the project director of www.ImmigrationsHumanCost.org.

Answer: They are confused! They thought it was the statue of criminal activity! Fun fact: There is a Hindu plaque on the base of the Statue of Liberty also! Using their logic we must be a Hindu nation! Rattler: attacking the source doesn't change the facts! It's like the buzzed drinking ads on tv. Ambulance rushing a dying man to the hospital and his friend say "I was only buzzed" EMT's and dying man say "only buzzed then everything is OK!" Drunk driver says "Really?" Everybody says no and dying man falls back on stretcher! Everything in the article is true! Just because you don't like the source doesn't change the facts!

Question: For those of you have have dealt with Child Protective Services , can and how do you get another caseworker?!? My caseworker has done nothing to help get my kids back. I am not just some bitter parent griping about cps, but I really need help. My caseworker has done everything in her power to make this as hard for me as she can. The plan is for reunification still, but she doesn't call me at all, or return phone calls. She drags her feet about everything I ask her to do, and that is not much. It took her 2months to address me when I asked her about unsupervised visits with my kids. She wouldn't let me know when it would start or where, and the unsupervised vists were court ordered. My attorney asked her to specify it, and she claimed she would print up a detailed list of the do's and don'ts, but she never did, and when I would call and ask her, she would not answer her phone, nor return the phone calls. I have a public defender who does as least as he can to help, so Iam at my wits end as to where to go from there!

Answer: Do not ask for another case worker it will only take longer. Continue to call at least once a day.Be very very nice(I know it's hard to do).Keep all your appointments. (be early) Do what they ask no matter how you don't like it.Remember its about getting your kids back.These people are on power trips and take advantage of it.So keep your cool. If you have tried this for a while.And still have gotten nowhere. Call the supervisor and tell them you did everything you were suppose to do and can't get anywhere with (him or her) and ask what you should do. Attorneys can only do so much especially public defenders. It's something you will have to do your self.

Question: What's the best way to deal with a child fresh out of the CPS system. My 7 year old son is very rebellious now My kids were taken when his sister was diagnosed as being "failure to thrive" she is 2. There are 4 kids in all, and the 7 year old is the oldest. I have tried explaining what happened and told him it's not his fault. The soical workers want to label him as a bad kid, but he has been through a lot, and has been in 4 homes, one 50 miles away, and 3 schools! He was close to his baby brother and they were sperated and sent in different homes. The plan is for reunification, but until then, he is very angry inside and he cries a lot. I so worried about him. Child protective services did not invistigate deep enough and when this came out in court, they still wouldn't return the kids right away, but opted to put my 7 year old an d his baby brother iwth my parents for temp placement, and the other two will follow soon.. Any suggestions until then?

Answer: your son is probably very confused and frustrated, it will take time for him to heal from this. i think the best thing to do is show him lots of love and make your home as stable as possible. maybe even go to a family counselor to help him get through this. he will get better but it will take time.

Question: Social workers reunification help? i have a case where i have been in and out of shelters due to my ssi not paying me correctly and a bad exboyfriend on drugs in our life at that time. my son was taken as i exposed him to a drug addict that had allegedly sexual contact with my son and i called social services myself for help. Being i was in and out of homeless shelters and bouncing from state for a year and the ex issues, they took my kid to foster. the bf is gone i got a home a month ago and am in domestic violence abuse counseling all on my own before they have even made their "plan" which they still have not had a chance to even yet. so my question is is that the only thing they have on me is that i have to prove that i can STAY stable at my new place and keep bad bf's out of my life . they gave me a date of 18 months at the longest to prove my worth. as i said i am way way far steps ahead of them and they have just had the 2nd court case the other day. so how long does one have to prove being stable before my child can come back. he now has three visits a week at my house which starts this week and that was established second court case. before i was having twice a week at a facility since this all started a month ago. so things are moving forward but what are the next steps and how long will i have to prove myself to stay in this apartment? i dont plan on leaving it anytime soon but would like to know the amount of time it taks to prove im stable. ty

Answer: Often the judge sets certain requirements that must be met before your son can be placed back in your home. You may have a case worker assigned by the court who can tell you what they are. Sometimes the requirements include getting a job, taking parenting classes, going to school, participating in counseling. Your son might have longer visits with you, perhaps over the weekend. I think that if the progress continues, your son might be back living with you in eight months. That, however, is just a guess. I'm sure it varies from state to state, county to county, and even judge to judge.

Question: social workers reunification help? i have a case where i have been in and out of shelters due to my ssi not paying me correctly and a bad exboyfriend on drugs in our life at that time. my son was taken as i exposed him to a drug addict that had allegedly sexual contact with my son and i called social services myself for help. Being i was in and out of homeless shelters and bouncing from state for a year and the ex issues, they took my kid to foster. the bf is gone i got a home a month ago and am in domestic violence abuse counseling all on my own before they have even made their "plan" which they still have not had a chance to even yet. so my question is is that the only thing they have on me is that i have to prove that i can STAY stable at my new place and keep bad bf's out of my life . they gave me a date of 18 months at the longest to prove my worth. as i said i am way way far steps ahead of them and they have just had the 2nd court case the other day. so how long does one have to prove being stable before my child can come back. he now has three visits a week at my house which starts this week and that was established second court case. before i was having twice a week at a facility since this all started a month ago. so things are moving forward but what are the next steps and how long will i have to prove myself to stay in this apartment? i dont plan on leaving it anytime soon but would like to know the amount of time it taks to prove im stable. ty

Answer: It will take at least a year until they will feel comfortable that you have eliminated the dangers that you put your child in before. The next step will be getting a job and proving you can financially support your child on your own without relying on the government or the wrong people for your support.

Question: One step closer to the reunification of the Orthodox and Catholic Church? I hope and pray that it may be. Did anyone see this article? PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE ADDRESSES SYNOD OF BISHOPS VATICAN CITY, 18 OCT 2008 (VIS) - In the Sistine Chapel at 5 p.m. today, the Holy Father presided at the celebration of first Vespers of the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, marking the participation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in the work of the current Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The ceremony, which was attended by more than 400 cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and lay people, began with a few brief words of introduction by Benedict XVI. In his English-language talk, Bartholomew I highlighted how this "is the first time in history that an Ecumenical Patriarch is offered the opportunity to address a Synod of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, and thus be 'part of the life' of this sister Church at such a high level. We regard this as a manifestation of the work of the Holy Spirit leading our Churches to a closer and deeper relationship with each other, an important step towards the restoration of our full communion". "It is well known that the Orthodox Church attaches to the synod system fundamental ecclesiological importance. Together with primacy, synodality constitutes the backbone of the Church's government and organization. ... Therefore, in having today the privilege to address your Synod our hopes are raised that the day will come when our two Churches will fully converge on the role of primacy and synodality in the Church's life, to which our joint theological commission is devoting its study at the present time". "We have explored", he concluded, "the patristic teaching of the spiritual senses, discerning the power of hearing and speaking God's Word in Scripture, of seeing God's Word in icons and nature, as well as of touching and sharing God's Word in the saints and sacraments. Yet, in order to remain true to the life and mission of the Church, we must personally be changed by this Word. The Church must resemble the mother, who is both sustained by and nourishes through the food she eats. Anything that does not feed and nourish everyone cannot sustain us either. When the world does not share the joy of Christ's Resurrection, this is an indictment of our own integrity and commitment to the living Word of God". Following the Patriarch's talk, the Pope thanked him for his words assuring him they would be studied and examined by the Synod. "This too was a joyful experience", he said, "an experience of unity, perhaps not perfect but real and profound. I thought to myself: your Fathers, whom you quoted widely, are also our Fathers and ours are also yours. And if we have shared Fathers how can we not be brothers?" Source: http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/…

Answer: Resoundingly yes! What a wonderful blessing it would be to fully welcome any of our separated brothers. This unification of East and West would be a statement to the worlds christian communities that any wound can be healed, even the deep gash of the reformation.

Question: Should I terminate guardianship for my youngest son? Well here is my situation. I have four boys in foster care. DHS is trying to reunify them back with me or my husband. Well the baby is in guardianship with my sister in law. He is 4 months and I am worried about bonding issues. I get about 2 hours a week with him and my sister in law says my ex has not been over to see him that much. Should I terminate the guardianship and try to get full custody of the baby now or should I wait until the other boys are out of the system first? The have one program ARC (that helps with reunification) and Family social Services backing me on full custody. I am a little afriad of DHS trying to take him if I get him. What should I do? Any suggestions will be helpful. I am pregnant with my last child and I want to have my time with James before my last child is born. What should I do?

Answer: Are you ready to receive your four boys back into custody? They are older than your infant and need you to be a mom first, but only if you are truly ready. It is not fair to take them back and not really be prepared physically and emotionally. I know that your heart is right, but I think that it would be better to focus on the other 4 first and get your life put back together before you take on the baby, as long as the baby is in a good place. Babies can be very demanding, even though they are so cute and it can add a lot of stress to an already stressful situation. I am on the other side of your situation, as I care for children while their parents try to get things back together. Sometimes, the parents realize that they cannot provide a stable home and decide not to pursue reunification any longer, and thats ok too, if they know that it is in the child's best interest. I dont judge birthparents, especially single mothers, because parenting is not easy! It is a lot of work and children need a lot of physical and emotional support from their parents, and it is very challenging to do that when you are worried about how to pay the bills and get to doctor apointments, and pay for field trips and school shirts, and yearbooks..... In our situation parents who have just said, "i love you so much, but I know that I cant give you what you need right now," have helped to put their child's mind at ease because the children know that they are loved and that mom is still trying....but if you are not ready, dont be pressured. It is not a situation to be taken lightly. There are children's homes out there that take large sibling groups that will keep the children together and not move them around like foster care. Also, they dont terminate your parental rights like the state will. The one that I have listed below even helps kids get their first vehicle and goto college when they are of age. They are supportive of birth families. If you are truly ready for your children, then I say congratulations! This will be a new beginning for you and your children, but it isnt easy and it sounds like you are still in need of help with another one on the way. Here is a link below. You can call and ask for help,,,,there is no cost. and I am sure that there are other places like it out there as well. But I do know that it is a good one.

Question: 2008 SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE: recovery process? Hey guys! I'm doing a feature article about the 2008 sichuan earthquake and we have to pretend that a year has passed since the tragedy. So i was hoping if anyone had any info or sites i can go on to find out about the progress that has been made the past year about sichuans: Water, power, sewerage, communications, trnasport, government services, buildings, compensation, insurance, family reunification, business, education and vegetation any help appreciated ! please and thank - you

Answer: THey are still in the stone age

Question: Does anyone think this is a well-written resume in a professional format? REBEKKAH WILLIAMS Objective To obtain a position within an organization that seeks an ambitious and career-conscious person, where my knowledge and skills will be fully utilized toward continued growth and advancement. Professional Experience Bayfront Youth and Family Services – 2006 – Present Long Beach, CA Administrative Secretary • Provide administrative support to all departments for this residential treatment facility. • Accurately maintain department calendar. • Compile statistical data for monthly and quarterly reports. • Manage nursing unit for twenty-nine clients. • Schedule appointments and transportation. • Maintain all client records accordingly. • Manage legal and medical documents and billing for CEO/Administrator. • Audit charts for the unit. • Arrange for staff coverage for each shift. • Attend utilization review meetings when needed. Accomplishments • Created and organized an information center at for department which resulted in better access to information and less time searching for it; “Employee of the Month” for June, 2008 and November, 2009; commended for being a team player in initiating a team effort to help a work unit crisis with our clients. Kedren Community Mental Health Center – 2005 – 2006 Los Angeles, CA Case Manager-Children’s Outpatient Unit • Worked with youth and their families in this psychiatric hospital to help minimize defiant behavior being exhibited by youths. • Provided referrals to clients in housing, education, mental health, and medication services. • Serve as a liaison to community health providers, services, hospitals and other resources. • Handled and resolved more than twenty cases providing families with stabilization and reunification. • Translated for Spanish speaking clients. Accomplishments • Provided outstanding services to both clients and departments during the Audit Survey. H.V. Group Home, Inc. – 2004-2005 Long Beach, CA Youth Counselor • Counseled juveniles with behavioral problems in this Level 14 Group Home. • Effectively promoted safety and well-being of all adolescents. • Taught groups on life skills, anger management and positive self-image. • Charted and filed notes for social workers and probation department. Accomplishments • Received “Employee of the Month” for taking on more responsibilities of other employees and intervening in a crisis situation with a client; received high performance evaluations form supervisors for exhibiting leadership and excellent work ethic. Education California State University Dominguez Hills – 05/2001 Carson, CA • Obtained Bachelors of Arts in Psychology Concentration Courses: Behavior Modification, Abnormal Psychology, Case Management Functions Computer Skills/Credentials • Proficient in MS Office including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook; Internet Explorer. • Certified in First Aide/CPR from American Red Cross.

Answer: Well, I spotted an error. Second paragraph, first sentence; "center at for department" the wording; "at for" doesn't make any sense. Also, if you have Microsoft Word, they have a palette that puts the document into a good looking resumé format. All you have to do is fill in the blanks... Also, I would fix how you spell "Aide" because an "Aide" means someone who is an assistant to an important political person. "Aid" (without the "e"), is for helping or guiding someone or something... so you definitely want to change that. I would have someone else read over you paper cause if there are any more mistakes like the ones i spotted, your interviewer is less likely to hire you if you can't spell things correctly or use proper grammar... just saying. Hope this helps!

Question: Am I wrong to feel this angry with CPS? Any other Kinship Caregivers here?? I was given relative plcmnt of a child through child protective services. The mother does not support the child in any way & won't even keep the visitation schedule. During mediation she was told that because she did not complete her CPS serv and req that reunification wasn't an option; when told they wanted my family to have legal guardianship, she balked and said that was not what she wanted and wanted her own child back (mind you she has not cooperated at all with anything CPS has asked of her). CPS extended her case for an add'l 6 months and finally CPS got tired of her "bare minimums & excuses" and moved toward termination of her rights. A few weeks before court she called and said "I know I can't take care of my baby but I want my rights" and CPS has backed off of termination. Whave not rcvd any aid at all from CPS/state or the mother & the mother hasn't seen the baby in over 3 months. Why does the birth mother still have a say? What happened to the best interest of the child? I am not a foster parent. I am a relative with my own children who was given the child so that the child would not be placed in the system, I was the next to the last person they homestudied and the only one they deemed s acceptable. I held every hope that the mother would get it together because at first it had been a struggle financially for me to raise a small child I hadn't anticipated; it's been over a year in and out of court every other month- it's just gotten to be ridiculous how much they let her get away with.

Answer: I urge you to keep the child for right now, no matter what, and if anything, ask your worker for a little assistence to care for the child. I am very surprised they haven't offered this already. I just hate to see cps snatch away another kid and place them in the system if there is a loving family memeber willing to care for the child. You should be able to sue for child support yourself if the social worker is not going to do anything to help you. I am speaking from experience with cps and I really don't have anything good to say about them, other than in this situation, just do your part to help out the child, and your goods deeds will not go unnoticed. You have a heart of gold for putting up with it this long, and just keep the child's mother in your prayers and hope she sees the child for the blessing he/she is, and get herself toghtether so she can raise her own child! In my state of N.C, cps is not as lenient as they have been in your sitaution. The child would have been placed in foster care and adopted out the first few times the mother or parent showed any sign of noncooperation, these people thrive off of opposition and the child's mother seems like she is doing just that. If the child still winds up in foster care, or placed up for adoption, becasue of the mother, at least for the time being, you did your part in trying to prevent it. And when it all boils down, you will be the one sleeping at night, not the mother if that happens to the child. Good Luck!

Question: Should I be fighting harder on this one? I am a foster care parent of several children and am aware of the CA state laws regarding the reunification process. I have always been supportive of all my reunifications in the past, however, I am currently going through a challenging scenario at the moment. About 5 years ago I took in a 13 year old girl who had been raped by her father and consequently given birth to a baby. When I took them in, the baby was not a ward of the state but instead was still considered to be the property of my minor foster child. Accordingly, I raised the infant to call me and consider me an Auntie instead of a foster parent. I took both children into my home when the infant was 8 months old. At that time, the infant had been so completely neglected that she was unable to eat solid foods, hold her head up on her own, or meet any other age-appropriate goals. At the age of 17 the mother moved into an ILS housing program and prepared to emancipate, which she successfully did last week. Upon her emancipation, she was scheduled to move into another free housing program, contingent upon the fact that she has her daughter with her. The child is now practically 6 years old, excelling in school and more than secure in my home which she has known for as long as she can remember. Overall, she is more than established in the home and family. I have always been sure to refer to myself as her "Auntie", and her biological mother as her "Mommy", so she is quite aware that she is not my daughter and that her mommy no longer lives with us. The original transition was difficult for her, but she has adjusted seemingly well to living here without her mommy. Throughout the entire 4 years that her mother lived with me she never expressed an interest in her daughter. I continually encouraged her to change diapers, read bedtime stories, take her daughter to the park; but in all instances it was similar to getting a teen to clean their room or take the trash out - her daughter seemed to be just another chore on her list of things to do. Upon moving into the ILSP housing, she originally took her daughter, but then terminated custodial rights after about a week claiming that she was "overwhelmed". At that point, the State filed on the child and the reunification clock started ticking. The child was placed into my home as my ward. We have now just met for our 12 month review, and been granted another 6 months of F Services. However, the judge made it clear that she intends on reunifying the mother and daughter at the end of the 6 months. This case is clearly different from most reunification cases, as the courts are attempting to remove the child from the only home she has ever known to move her back to her biological parent whom knows more as a sister than a mother. However, the mother is squeaky clean on paper. As we all know, these reunification hearings very rarely take the parent's true motivations (free housing, in this case) into consideration. The mother has a job, goes to school, will have housing, no documented drug use or criminal activity (thanks to an incredible lawyer)...so she's clearly eligible to get the child. Here's the hang up: The 6 year old has expressed to me that she does not want to live with her mother. She has even taken to sleeping under the bed so that "they" can't take her in the middle of the night. I cannot shelter the 6 year old from what is happening, as she has grown up in a household where fostering is the norm and she understands the reunification process through experience alone. Furthermore, the mother herself has expressed to me that "even if I get her back, she'll be over at your house all the time anyway so it's not like nothing is gonna change...". Should I try to find a supporting legal precedent that would allow me to keep the child, or just go with the flow and allow the reunification to occur? Opinions??? I'm seriously torn between upholding my responsibility as a "Foster Parent" and a "Auntie" on this one.

Answer: Take the child to an independent therapist to have an evaluation done to demonstrate where the child is emotionally and address the situation with the child's needs as your concern, not the motivations of the mother or the injustice.

Question: Any other Kinship Caregivers here? Should I not feel angry with CPS? I was given relative plcmnt of a child through child protective services. The mother does not support the child in any way & won't even keep the visitation schedule. During mediation she was told that because she did not complete her CPS serv and req that reunification wasn't an option; when told they wanted my family to have legal guardianship, she balked and said that was not what she wanted and wanted her own child back (mind you she has not cooperated at all with anything CPS has asked of her). CPS extended her case for an add'l 6 months and finally CPS got tired of her "bare minimums & excuses" and moved toward termination of her rights. A few weeks before court she called and said "I know I can't take care of my baby but I want my rights" and CPS has backed off of termination. Whave not rcvd any aid at all from CPS/state or the mother & the mother hasn't seen the baby in over 3 months. Why does the birth mother still have a say? What happened to the best interest of the child? I am not a foser parent. I am a relative with my own children who had the child placed with me after they conducted home-studies on all our family to keep the child out of the system. I was not referred to any classes to let me know what I was in for nor was I told that I had was not the legal guardian/had no legal standing until the mediation where I was informed that I was placement "a holding place for the child until reunification" . .... yet it was mandated that I pay for daycare, clothes, food, and the child be on my health insurance- go figure.......what determines a parent???

Answer: I am in a very similar situation i have had temperary guardianship of a relatives child. He was 13 months when we got him and now he is 22 months. The mother was required to go to all kinds of classes and things and at first she wasn't doing what she was supposed to. She only saw her child 4 times in the 8 months we had temp guardianship of him. It wasn't until she lost her food stamps and medicaid that she started doing the classes. Even though she missed classes and had a tampered drug test she eventually finished. She got custody back of him after 8 months. He didn't know her and it was heartbreaking to have to send him with her. It took her 10 days and we had him back for a visit which started out can you pick him up early and can you keep him for awhile longer. I noticed a lot of marks and bruising on him and took him to the doctors while we had him. The doctor noted questionable bruising on his arm. They were two finger bruises on him. I have been dealing with a case worker in my state, because this is a cross state thing. The mother is in nc and we are in sc. My caseworker here in sc came that night to take pictures of the bruises and called the dss in nc. A report was filed and she is now under investigation for child abuse and neglect. Exactly four days after demanding we bring him back to her she called us to come get him again because her electricity was about to be shut off and she could afford to get him the things he needed. We have had him since the end of january now. Basically we have no right at all to him. She can come get him whenever and the dss system in nc doesn't care that she couldn't even make it 2 weeks with him. I was also told the reunification wasn't possible and they wanted us to take leagal custody of him. That changed when she made any effort at all no matter how little it was. But depending on how long you have had the child already there is a law that states 1 year to permenancy which is like 15 months at the max. So if it will be over that time period since you have had the child there may be something you can do, I would call the head of your cps there and file a complaint or try to get a guardiam ad litem for the child. Find the state on the internet and look at there cps manuals. I know that i found nc online and read through them all. I really understand what you are going through but with kinship care, we the caregivers are just screwed. But i would fight call everybody at you cps if you have to file complaints try what you can. But remeber a year to permanancy after that time period you will really be able to do something. Hang in there. We still have the child now and she wants him back now but doesn't even have a way to come down and get him but the dss in nc just isn't concerned. It's not about the best interest for the child as i've been told many of times they are young enough to adjust, they'll get used to it. But i don't think he will to him we are mommy and daddy and this is the only home he has known in his life, but they don't care about that. I hate to sound disgruntaled but i am. If you have any questions or just want to talk i know what your going through so email me. I could use someone to talk to too.

Question: I just want ONLY PEOPLE TO RESPOND THAT EITHER HAD EXPEIENCE WITH? FAMILY LAW, OR BEEN INVOLVED OR KNOW SOMEONE THAT BEEN INVOLVED WITH SOCIAL SERVICES. I like to know if you trying to get your children back from the state and one of the barriers are employment. I was in court before holiday seasons last year. The state attorney told the social worker what are the barriers to reunification one is me not being employed. I go back to court in Feb. I hope I have employment by that day. I’m doing my best looking for work. It very hard it this economy. I look for job leads on my own as well as the one my career counselor gives me. I also network with people I know and with people I don’t know. I called a lot of companies even fast food lots of them don’t have any opening most of them are just accepting application. I have talked with 2 fast food industry managers last week told me that not doing any hiring until mid to late Feb. that closed to my home I talked with a social service supervisor she recommended for me to get a letter that I’m working with a career counselor. I also talked with a case manager that I know from this Career Program I was in last year. She going to let me talked with a family lawyer. She told me she can’t be my lawyer but she will answer a couple of questions that I have. Another barrier I’m having I was having heating problems the gas tech. came by in Nov. there were some repairs that needed to be done. The secretary landlord knows this. I have talk with not last week but the previous week, the week before that one, and the week before that one. She gives me a lot of excuse. I talked with her yesterday she the property manager told me the water heater will be in today. I’m afraid that it might not be in. I heard from many people she one of those she will found a way to evict you. I don’t want to be put out in the winter. I have family & friends that I can stay with in the evening. I want to know what I should do about this landlord. She is kind of evil you complain to much to her. I see this with my own eyes with other people. What should I do and what happen she get mad at me because I complain on her that what I’m afraid of?

Answer: With the job situation: Document every effort made to find employment. With the landlord situation contact the housing inspector in your area. The housing inspector will come to your home and do an inspection. The inspector will write a report that gives your landlord a certain amount of time to make repairs. Ask for a copy of the report. When you go to court you always need proof for everything. I have never dealt with having to get my children, but I know the court does not simply take anyones word.

Question: What is a good book for extended family, when a child is being adopted? First some background: A year ago our new daughter (biologically my niece), was placed with us by Child protective services, after they removed her from her bio parents. At the time she was just shy of her 2nd birthday. Once it was decided that reunification was not possible, the judge decided to move toward terminating the parents rights, and to help us to adopt her in to our family. Since that decision was made, our little girl has only seen her bio parents twice (their choice) in the last 5 months. She has begun a grieving process, as she's feeling a huge sense of loss (who wouldn't?!) she is acting out with some behaviors. All of which are to be expected. She can go from loving and happy to angry and detached and pushing people away in a matter of seconds and bounce right back to happy and loving in the same amount of time. Still, the therapist thinks that with time she will heal and be a happy, adjusted child. My immediate family (my husband, and our older children) is coping with this fairly well. We have bonded with this child and we love her dearly. We have family meetings and seek therapy and discuss what to expect and how to handle different changes with our toddler. Now, here is the problem: Some members of my husband's family, who do not have a biological tie to this child, are having some difficulty bonding with her, or tolerating her. They have made some attempts, but they quickly retreat if she rejects them and they do not keep trying. They behave hurt and offended and do not seem to "get it". Also, they do not understand her behaviors and think that she is just "being a brat" and they think that we're just using this whole "she is grieving" thing as an excuse. I don't think they really get it, what it is that she is going through, or what she has been through. If their behavior doesn't change soon, our family will (as a whole) be spending our time elsewhere, as we won't cont. to have this attitude for youngest child. That said...we'd like to give them a chance to "get it" and we are looking for a good book(s) to give them. Something that is easy to read, not going to bore them or overwhelm them. But something that will help them to understand "this is what this child is going through" and "this is what your role needs to be". It needs to not be too condescending, but it should let them know what is and isn't acceptable while teaching them some empathy for this little girl. All suggestions are appreciated! Thank you for the suggestions and the great advice!

Answer: "Adoption is a Family Affair", written by Patricia Irwin Johnston. I do have some issues with some of what is said in this book...and it seems to be geared toward international adoption, rather than foster care, but some of the fundamentals are the same. One thing in particular that I think was valuable was the portion of the book that discussed the child's privacy. Even without them knowing all the gory details of her story, it helps to humanize this child that they just see as acting out, and giving some insight as to why she might be understandably grieving. A child isn't created when they are adopted; they have a whole life that existed pre-adoption that should be acknowledged. Some families feel insecure when it is obvious that they are not the only family this child has, and can sometimes make them act...well...childish. They'll either get used to the idea, or they won't. At the end of the day, though, it is going to be up to you to protect her, and if your in-laws don't behave better, even after trying to help them understand, you may need to limit your contact with them. Otherwise, your daughter, who no doubt senses their apprehension, will end up paying a high emotional price. She's been through enough. ETA: I will say this...If you are looking for a book that is an easy and concise read, that won't be too condescending, this book should definitely hit the mark. Good luck.

Question: Are the 65 Immigration Reform Act and NAU part of the same conspiracy to turn North Americans into "Mexicans?"? The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Hart-Celler Act, INS Act of 1965, Pub.L. 89-236) abolished the national-origin quotas that had been in place in the United States since the Immigration Act of 1924. It was proposed by Emanuel Celler, cosponsored by Philip Hart and heavily supported by United States Senator Ted Kennedy. An annual limitation of 170,000 visas was established for immigrants from Eastern Hemisphere countries with no more than 20,000 per country. By 1968, the annual limitation from the Western Hemisphere was set at 120,000 immigrants, with visas available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the number of family reunification visas was unlimited, and it is only now that there are any country-origin quotas for spouses of US citizens, and numerical quotas for other relatives of US citizens. In the Congress, the House of Representatives voted 326 to 69 (82.5%) in favor of the act while the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 76 to 18. Opposition mainly came from Southern legislators. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the legislation into law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_and_Nationality_Services_Act_of_1965 More on the Act here and who was behind it: http://www.vanguardnewsnetwork.com/v1/2005/Staff031305MaliciousDuo.htm This is a very informative video on the Nation of Atzlan which seeks to take back over half the US, and move all other races out, and the North American Union/NAFTA Superhighway which would make Mexicans majority in this nation and although-out the continent, and bring the US and Canada into a Mexican (or Soviet Union) type slave state, with no middle class, mostly slave workers that are ruled by a rich and powerful few? http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFNP83ThK3YI I am not asking what the outcome will be when push comes to shove, only if the *intent* here is by the drafters here. I am not afraid of little trolls with cheap African rugs in the attic and small Oriental candles down there, who can't slam dunk a basketball or desing a computer program. I am only taking about a conspiracy here, a plot.

Answer: the big picture here is the North American Union...it must be stopped and NOW!!!! Cospiracy...yes ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T74VA3xU0… search youtube and the web for North American Union.

Question: How often is this happening with illegals in the USA?Fate of US-born kid of illegal immigrants unclear? Fate of US-born kid of illegal immigrants unclear http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2009… By KATE BRUMBACK LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - His mother isn't in the picture. His illegal immigrant father was deported. Now, the 13-year-old waits for a Georgia court to decide his fate. Among the options: keeping the boy in the only country he's ever lived in, but as a ward of the state, or sending him to his father in Guatemala, a country he's never seen. It's a tangled case that defies easy solutions. The boy is a U.S. citizen and says he wants to stay in his native country. His father, a bus driver without regular work, says he would gladly take his child _ though he agrees the boy would be better off in the U.S. But the teen has a history of behavioral problems, which make him hard to place with a foster family. His older brother, who is 16, lives with relatives in the U.S. But they have other children and are unable to care for the boy because of his problems. A lawyer hired to represent the boy's interests says the state appears to be looking for a way to send him to Guatemala against his wishes, a move she likened to deportation. Beatriz Illescas Putzeys, Guatemala's consul general in Atlanta, said she usually argues for family reunification, but in this case she is prepared to argue that the boy should stay here because he is a U.S. citizen and would have access to better education and counseling. "It is highly unusual, totally unusual," Illescas Putzeys said. "What I have been dealing with most of the time is trying to get children sent back to Guatemala to their families." The boy was born in Los Angeles in December 1995 to illegal immigrants _ a father from Guatemala and a mother from El Salvador. His mother later abandoned the family and her whereabouts are unknown, according to Rebeca Salmon, a lawyer hired by the boy's court-appointed guardian. The boy's father, Edgar Ovidio Juares, 40, was arrested in June 2007 and deported to Guatemala last year, he told a lawyer in Guatemala. In a recent phone interview with The Associated Press, Juares was conflicted about his son's fate. He said he wanted to have his son in Guatemala with him, but acknowledged the boy's quality of life would be better in the U.S. "I don't want to lose contact with my son," he said, speaking in a mix of Spanish and English. "I want him here, but here it is hard to help him with the problems he has because we don't have much money. "He said to me he doesn't want to come here," Juares said. Salmon asked the AP not to identify the boy to protect his privacy. The case is being handled in Gwinnett County Juvenile Court, and juvenile cases are generally sealed to protect the child. Salmon said she was hired by the boy's court-appointed guardian who believes the state plans to ask the court to send him to his father. She does not believe that is best for the child. The Associated Press has filed a motion seeking to open the court proceedings to the media to hear the discussion about what is in the child's best interest. The boy has been in foster care since his father's arrest and has been moved from one home to another, nine in all, over about two years, Salmon said. She described him as rebellious and said he needs counseling. He now lives in a group home, but Salmon said she is seeking therapeutic placement for him. That would put him in a group home or with a family that is trained to handle children with special needs. "Instead of solving the problems he has, he's just been shuffled from one place to another, and now they're out of places and they are trying to send him to a foreign country," Salmon said. In an e-mail earlier this year, the state's Department of Human Resources, which oversees the Division of Family and Children Services, asked Guatemalan officials for a home evaluation for the family in Guatemala. An agency spokeswoman, Dena Smith, declined to comment on the state's plans for the boy, but said its priorities for every child are safety and permanency. "Legally, we cannot talk about any open case of any child," Smith said. "Case plans are individualized and are based on the needs of the individual child." A Guatemalan official wrote a letter to the Georgia child welfare division in July 2008 stating that the boy's aunt in Guatemala said he would be better off in the U.S. because of his "psychological and behavioral problems." A more detailed home study was done in early 2009. A translation of the report provided to the AP says Juares lives with his father, the boy's paternal grandfather, that both are interested in having custody of the child, and it appears they can care for and protect him. But it also recommends the child's rights as a U.S. citizen, including access to a better quality of life, be taken into account. The report says the grandfather, who is 67, earns up to $616 a month farming his land and operating corn mills. Juares ear

Answer: These children shouldn't be American citizens in the first place. This is an easy question. End Birthright Citizenship and deport children with their illegal parents. Nice, clean and simple. How much money are the taxpayers of this country going to have to shell out for the irresponsibility of illegals. End Birthright Citizenship! Support the SAVE Act! www.numbersusa.com

Question: Is the Statue of Liberty a welcome mat for illegal aliens? Was this ever to represent illegal aliens who disrespect laws? This is an article written a few years ago, do you agree with the author? Does She not come up with some very well put points against removing the poem? ______________________________________… Lady Liberty Not a Welcome Mat By Brenda Walker Published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on July 4, 2003 Great icons may suffer great misunderstandings in which erroneous mythology grows to obliterate the real meaning of an important symbol. Probably the most misunderstood image in America is the Statue of Liberty, which is surely burdened with more wrong ideas than any other symbol in our history. First and foremost, Lady Liberty was never designed as a welcome mat for immigrants, those huddled masses about whom we hear so much sentimentality. The real name of the statue is "Liberty Enlightening the World" which states the true meaning. Indeed, the sculptor's intent was for the statue to inspire millions around the world to emulate the freedom of the United States, not to leave home and come here. The statue is at heart a revolutionary symbol for the oppressed to throw off their chains and create their own democracy under law. Sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi believed deeply in republican government and dreamed of having it in his native France, remarking, "I will try to glorify the Republic and Liberty over there, in the hope that someday I will find it again here." Further, the Emma Lazarus poem, "The New Colossus" which is a hymn to immigration, is not inscribed on the base of the statue, as some would have us believe, and has no connection at all with Bartholdi's vision. The statue was inaugurated in 1886 quite adequately with no Emma Lazarus. The poem's inclusion was a completely separate event, dedicated by some friends of the poet in 1903 after her death. The Statue of Liberty's intent to inspire people to build their own democratic societies is even more important now that the planet is home to over six billion persons. The huddled masses cannot all be saved by immigration to America. The rescue paradigm of immigration is clearly no longer appropriate, if it ever was. The numbers of needy poor worldwide are simply too high. In fact, the "wretched refuse of your teeming shore" threatens to become a permanent underclass, since even the most basic educational standards in selecting immigrants have been disregarded. Because of the emphasis on "family reunification," one-third of current legal immigrants have not graduated from high school -- hardly the ideal newcomers to a modern society in the 21st century. Each of those immigrants without a high school education will consume an average of $89,000 in services beyond what is paid in taxes, according to a National Academy of Sciences study. The Lazarus poem should be removed from Bedloe Island and banished to a dark corner of the Smithsonian as an artifact of another time. The poem perpetuates the myth that America can grow in population forever, which is a deeply damaging idea. The physical requirements of so many people are destroying the nation's environmental carrying capacity and our natural heritage of inspiring open vistas. Removing the plaque would be an important step toward reclaiming our heritage. "Liberty Enlightening the World" is a far more noble sentiment than "Mother of Exiles" which celebrates victimhood. We must face the limits of our overcrowded world with creativity and realism. America's message for this century must be to urge local development, e.g. through microlending. On the crowded planet, relieving poverty where people live must be the aim. It's high time that America provided better environmental leadership regarding overpopulation, and removing the obsolete Lazarus poem from the Statue of Liberty would be a good place to start. Brenda Walker is a writer living in California. She is the project director of www.ImmigrationsHumanCost.org. she has the right to her beliefs, I do not see where they are racist, and she makes a definite good point in this article!! splc - disgusts American citizens! what racist undertones are you talking about? it definetly has to do with questions asked. wow you guys play the race cards at every moment, get new excuses.

Answer: You know, Greasy, YOUR screeds would be more convincing if you didn't use the term "anti-immigrant", but the legally correct and accurate term "anti-illegal-alien". YOUR biases are showing in your conflation of illegal alien with legal immigrants. As I've said before, if we accept the idea of the Statue of Liberty as welcoming immigrants, she's holding a torch to light their way in LEGALLY through the front door. She's NOT welcoming illegal aliens sneaking in the back door in the dark of night.