Shld states be fined 4 improper adoptions, not Kinship placement?

[Fern5827]

Subject: Shld states be fined 4 improper adoptions, not Kin?
From: (Fern5827)
Date: 9/1/2003 1:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: >

FWD Newsgroup alt support child protective services.

Childrensrights.org documents the fact that kin are only involved in 27% of the
cases which CPS handles.

http://www.childrensrights.org


Should teens be placed in foster homes without letting family know, even if the
family members reside in another state? Why is CPS so deficient in this
regard?

FWD:

Subject: Should states be fined for illegal adoptions?
From: (Fern5827)
Date: 9/1/2003 12:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: >

Why isn't there a proper search for kin?

Remember Cynthia Rose illuminates this problem by showing how CPS mistakes
shred families.


Reviewer: Charlotte Hardwick (see more about me) from author of Win Your Child
Custody War
Because of Jeanne Sinclair-Krause’s book “Remember Cynthia Rose� Cynthia
Rose will know that her family loved her and fought for her. Many children will
never know that anyone in their birth family cared. The great problems of the
world are horrific, but they should not distract us from the personal dramas
that leave dying families and wounded children. It is terrible when a family
loses an adult member. It is criminal if a good, loving family loses the right
and responsibility to care for the children of that adult. Often the cohesion
of the core family doesn’t survive the multiple loss. Social service agencies
and community leaders will eventually understand what has happened and have to
answer for the loss this child and her family have endured. As states are
awarded funds for proper adoptions they should be fined for improper ones. Read
this cautionary story and add your voice to the choir by talking to others
about this problem and contacting your legislature for changes. I anxiously
watch for more to come from this social detective. --This text refers to the
Paperback edition.



DESCRIPTORS: ASFA, KINSHIP CARE, FOSTER CARE, CPS, FAMILY LAW, GRANDPARENTS,
CAPTA, KINSHIP CARE, CHILD PROTECTIVE, DSS, ACS, TDPRS, DHS,DFS,ILDCFS, DCFS,
DSHS,CYS,CYF, DCF,DHR,
DCS,DYFS,DFYS,FIA,DFS,DCYF,DHHS,SRS,SCF,DPSS,ILDCF S,CAS,PRS,CPA

[Suzy]

Absolutely. I am fighting a corrupt DCFS dept. in WA state, and have had to call in a Sen., 3 Rep.'s, an oversight committee, and the Governor's office. I am a pre-qualified foster adopt relative of a foster child, fighting to obtain custody from a dept. that has resorted to lying about my related foster child's status, burying paperwork, and threatening me. The Kinship Law must be honored, and if it is disregarded, DCFS should be sued. The media is our greatest empowerment...don't be afraid to publish!

[Suzy]

I am in a most unusual position, and find myself on both sides of the fence regarding adoption of foster children. I am a licensed foster adopt mother, and now I am fighting for custody of a little cousin of mine, and find myself being treated as the "family", by the DCFS dept. who has jurisdiction of my cousin. They are trying to keep her with a single foster parent , rather than letting me petition for her.

When I was going through the process of adopting my child, however, the biological family was given 4 years to petition for her, and I did not stand in the way of them doing so. I realized I could lose her at any time. The bio family of this child either could not pass a background check, didn't finish the required home study, or just lost interest and dropped out.

This is not the case with my fight for Jessica, however. I have contacted the congressmen who drafted the Kinship Law in this state (and they are helping me) along with the oversight committee and the Governor's office.

The dept. holding her lied about her status, saying she was in a pre-adopt situation with her biological aunt. Both statements proved to be not true. My paperwork and recommendations were then buried for weeks, I was told I would be "Blown out of the water" if I dared petition in court for her, and finally they will not answer my phone calls or the calls of my attorney.

I have had to go to the media and rely on the congressmen and oversight committee to contact these people, and it is alarming the lengths this dept. will go to in order to keep me at bay.

I have a current and approved home study, background search and state license, and have worked my entire adult life as a child advocate. I put my money where my mouth is and actively pursue children's causes, and now I find myself in a position that is both frustrating and frightening. DCFS should not have the power to ignore the Kinship Law which states that qualified and responsible biological family must be given preference to non-related foster care providers when a child is in state care.

DCFS, in the dept. I am dealing with, has resorted to lying, burying paperwork and threatening me. They have not honored proper protocol, and have even laughed at my distress in being stonewalled. I feel that if extended family members of foster children protest loudly and longly enough, and make the public aware of corruption within DCFS dept.'s, that changes can occur.

Does anyone know of any support groups who fight for relative's rights with children placed in foster care? If so, I would love to hear from you, and will welcome any help or suggestions you may have to help me in my fight.

If this dept. is succesful in denying my petition, it will empower them to continue breaking the law. The Kinship Law is valid and should be honored, and a prejudiced and biased planning board should not be allowed to have the authority to disregard this Law which was drafted to prevent situation such as the one I am in.

I will welcome any feedback...

Suzy

[Fern5827]

I suggest you network with Robynne at:

http://www.benchtree.com

Located in Washington state.

There are certainly many attorneys in WA who are skilled in challenging DSHS..

The name of Gary Preble immediately comes to mind. I believe he is located in
Olympia, WA.



>if I dared petition in court for her, and finally they will not answer my
>phone calls or the calls of my attorney.

Why not?

>I put my money where my mouth is and actively pursue children's causes, and
>now I find myself in a position that is both frustrating and frightening.


Is it possible you have alienated someone at DSHS and they are retailiating
against you? Especially if you say you have actively pursued childrens'
causes.

>Kinship Law which states that qualified and responsible biological family
>must be given preference to non-related foster care providers when a child is
>in state care.

ASFA may use weasel words like where possible. ASFA- ADOPTION AND SAFE
FAMILIES ACT.

>DCFS, in the dept. I am dealing with, has resorted to lying, burying
>paperwork and threatening me.

Washington state has or had an Ombudsman. No?

Why would DSHS willingly pay more toward a *stranger adoption* than kin
adoption?

It does seem that you are pursuing all angles such as Congressman, Oversight
Committee and Governor's office.

And you and the child both reside within the same state, so it is NOT a
question of jurisdiction. ICPC. Interstate Compact on the Placement of
Children.

Unless different counties in WA state have different protocols for holding onto
children.

Very unfortunate. Both for you and your family and for the child.

Newsgroup alt support child protective services.


Suzy sent in about DSHS in WA state:

>Subject: Re: Shld states be fined 4 improper adoptions, not Kinship
>placement?
>From: "Suzy"
>Date: 12/20/2003 1:45 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: utsupport.com>
>
>I am in a most unusual position, and find myself on both sides of the fence
>regarding adoption of foster children. I am a licensed foster adopt mother,
>and now I am fighting for custody of a little cousin of mine, and find myself
>being treated as the "family", by the DCFS dept. who has jurisdiction of my
>cousin. They are trying to keep her with a single foster parent , rather than
>letting me petition for her.
>
>When I was going through the process of adopting my child, however, the
>biological family was given 4 years to petition for her, and I did not stand
>in the way of them doing so. I realized I could lose her at any time. The bio
>family of this child either could not pass a background check, didn't finish
>the required home study, or just lost interest and dropped out.
>
>This is not the case with my fight for Jessica, however. I have contacted the
>congressmen who drafted the Kinship Law in this state (and they are helping
>me) along with the oversight committee and the Governor's office.
>
>The dept. holding her lied about her status, saying she was in a pre-adopt
>situation with her biological aunt. Both statements proved to be not true. My
>paperwork and recommendations were then buried for weeks, I was told I would
>be "Blown out of the water" if I dared petition in court for her, and finally
>they will not answer my phone calls or the calls of my attorney.
>
>I have had to go to the media and rely on the congressmen and oversight
>committee to contact these people, and it is alarming the lengths this dept.
>will go to in order to keep me at bay.
>
>I have a current and approved home study, background search and state
>license, and have worked my entire adult life as a child advocate. I put my
>money where my mouth is and actively pursue children's causes, and now I find
>myself in a position that is both frustrating and frightening. DCFS should
>not have the power to ignore the Kinship Law which states that qualified and
>responsible biological family must be given preference to non-related foster
>care providers when a child is in state care.
>
>DCFS, in the dept. I am dealing with, has resorted to lying, burying
>paperwork and threatening me. They have not honored proper protocol, and have
>even laughed at my distress in being stonewalled. I feel that if extended
>family members of foster children protest loudly and longly enough, and make
>the public aware of corruption within DCFS dept.'s, that changes can occur.
>
>Does anyone know of any support groups who fight for relative's rights with
>children placed in foster care? If so, I would love to hear from you, and
>will welcome any help or suggestions you may have to help me in my fight.
>
>If this dept. is succesful in denying my petition, it will empower them to
>continue breaking the law. The Kinship Law is valid and should be honored,
>and a prejudiced and biased planning board should not be allowed to have the
>authority to disregard this Law which was drafted to prevent situation such
>as the one I am in.
>
>I will welcome any feedback...
>
>Suzy
>
>
>
>
>
>
>