Child Protective Services Survival Manual For Parents
by Carolyn Lewis, MA
Excerpt
from the book:
Social workers, much like
educators, are not paid enough money to ‘get rich.’ Most workers have a genuine
desire to help people but the bureaucracy can and often does get in the way.
However, there is
a pitfall that parents need to be aware of if they find themselves encountering
CPS at their door.
Many workers are
young, fresh out of college, and have no life experience to guide them. They
most likely will come from middle to upper class families (with no special
problems) and have only their college textbooks to guide them in their quest to
“save the children.” Consequently, until and unless their own life gives them a
few rude shocks, they often fall into a category that is popularly referred to
as “bleeding hearts.” My advice is to beware of this type of social worker. You
should recognize them by their mission to “save the children” with no sound idea
of what “saving” should consist of.
Saving is good,
when it’s actually needed, but fewer children are in need of “saving” than you
might believe. Families might need assistance or education to do their job as a
parent but removing a child unnecessarily can be compared to throwing the baby
out with the bath water.
If you, as a
parent, suspect you’ve encountered one of this type of social worker knocking on
your door—perhaps you’re feeling like the ‘scum of the earth’ after speaking
with them—remember that each worker has a supervisor, the supervisor has a
supervisor and so on. Also, each agency should have a Client Advocate or
Ombudsperson. And don’t forget the governor of your state, if necessary! It’s
important to remember that you have rights and recourse, but do cooperate with
the investigation.
Cooperation
is a key word in courts and with CPS workers.
970-723-8639
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