Protecting the 'protected' - The systemic failure of Child Protection Services
The deeper I dig into this subject, the more I see that it is the system at fault.
More so than the workers within it who for the most part are doing their best (within the limitations of their dwindling resources) to make high pressure life-changing decisions for an ever growing number of cases. Cases which are stacking up inside their organised cardboard files under the two basic labels of 'ABUSE' or 'NEGLECT', completely lacking the human element required to make informed decisions on behalf of these young impressionable lives.
We are so much more than our case files!
To divide us into two categories seems rather shortsighted. At the very least it would be more appropriate to add the word POTENTIAL before the other two. Labelling us as either abusive or neglectful seems already to be biased and assumptive.
ABUSE: The only way to know for sure what is going on here is to get involved on a human level. Watch, listen & FEEL out the situation.
NEGLECT: This is more a question of governmental preference. Are we neglecting our children by wanting to homeschool them? In Sweeden & Germany the answer to this question would be yes.
I have personally been accused of neglect (thankfully not by any heavy handed government agency) for feeding my children vegan food. Yet I do it with their optimum health in mind! It feels as if there will soon be a time when the CPS will be called to review my case of neglect and potentially take my kids away from me.
Unless I promise to start feeding my family burgers again 🍔🍟🍴
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The system can't keep up
The number of children being taken into care is growing and so too are the reasons behind their removal from their natural families.
The allocation of government resources are not being increased proportionate to the demand. So the end result is inevitable and the quality of the service declines.
What we are seeing is a dehumanisation of the 'protection' process with less and less actual human contact involved. And the real irony here is almost laughable: the lack of resources is creating the rise in cases.
Those born reliant on a system remain reliant
If you are one of the majority who must ask for help from your government with housing benefit or jobseekers allowance you are going to develop a strong connection with the various government agencies over the years. And without them you would feel quite lost in expensive cities like London.
By the time you have children of your own, the idea of a trusted agency which 'protects' your children even from yourself is much more likely to be accepted without too much of a fuss.
The poorest are the most likely to lose their children to the system
When you grow up with your hand outstretched toward the government, always seeking to get what you can from them, it doesn't bode well for the future of your children.
There is a proven link between the poor and the problems which lead to the CPS getting involved. Ultimately you are more likely to have your child removed from you if you are poor. And when that child grows up they are going to be even more disturbed than their parents.
Can you see the downward spiral now?
The deeper corruption
There is a story beneath the one we hear about on the news. It is a dark story of corruption hidden behind the many government funded institutions which are set in place specifically to keep out of sight from us from the ugly truth that the situation is getting worse. At an alarming rate.
The children who are being removed from their families are not statistically living the kind of lives we would imagine their 'protection' would lead them to. Unless a life of slavery, cruelty, crime & prostitution is what you had in mind for them?
It is corruption at the highest level and ultimately boils down to money and control, but I will save the details of this particular subject for my next article.
@richq11 wrote a great article yesterday seen HERE about the UN Convention on the rights of children. He quotes directly from Articles 3,9 & 12 summarising with the following words:
I encourage everyone to read through the convention- it paints, in its entirety, a much bleaker outlook for parents than the little I shared.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!
If you think it can’t happen in America, think again!
In some states the CPS can remove your children from you and place them in a protective care based on the word of one other person, claiming to have seen some kind of abuse going on. In this situation they are guilty until proved innocent and the process to get your child back can be a long one.
Even when you are lucky and the judge finds you innocent, your life and the life of your child will never be the same again. I have seen with my own eyes what happens when you become branded by a lie. After time the lie is forgotten but the gossip always remains.
An example from Texas
As someone who worked in the sex industry for over ten years I resonated with this particular story. I do not judge. Only listen... and feel with my instinct:
Can Child Protective Services take my child if I am charged/convicted of a Prostitution case?
I am an exotic dancer in Houston and vice has recently raided the club I am working at. Several girls were arrested and charged with Prostitution cases. Houston has Sexually Oriented Business Laws that constitute certain dances and distances illegal and therefore considered "Prostitution." I have only lived here in Texas for 6 months and have obtained my SOB license since day 1. However, this concerns me because I have a 5 year old son and have heard rumors that Child Protective Services will take him from me if I am charged with a prostitution case. Is this so? Can CPS take my child away if I am caught in one of these loop-holes? Also, I have a live in Nanny 6 days a week, and I do not work on the 7th day so that I am home with my son.
A Dispute Attorney was the only person to offer an answer:
What am I reading here?
To me this sounds like unlawful blackmail? Totally change your life or risk losing your child. Now stop asking questions and sign on the dotted line!
From experience I can tell you that being a sex worker does not make a woman any less of a mother. On the contrary, given the freelance nature of their work they are likely to have much more time for their children than the woman who spends her week behind a desk.
Should the unthinkable happen
If the CPS do remove your child and put them into the system I am sorry to say there is a good chance that they are going to become victims of other terrible things. And the idea you once had for a single happy family will become nothing more than a distant memory.
As not to focus too much on this darker subjects at this moment, I will save these details for my next post.
These stories are not covered in news.
On the contrary, the focus is always on the success stories.
If you are looking for someone to blame
I'm not big on pointing the finger in situations like this but in the case of 'family protection' I feel as if I must try. Children's lives are being destroyed due to the madness of us adults yet it seems as if the children are the ones being punished.
Instead of putting them into ‘care’ why not provide the parents with better tools instead?
Instead of blaming the parents, why not blame the system which has put the parents in such a bad position where they find themselves 'abusing' or 'neglecting' their children, if indeed this is the case.
It is the system at fault so rather than throwing our stones at it in anger, why not direct our attention towards fixing this broken machine?
As ever, the symptoms are addressed, not the cause.
The voice of the children
Paperwork and statistics are increasingly replacing the human element. And the voice of the child is all but lost now.
I was happy to discover one such voice in my feed this morning thanks to the resteeming efforts of the @familyprotection account. You can see their post here written by @joejames818
But on the whole, there is very little information out there which relates to how these children FEEL after being removed from their parents.
How do they FEEL after hearing all their lives that they have been 'abused' or 'neglected' by their natural parents?
How do they FEEL as if the system has treated them?
And what of the children taken from their parents on the basis of neglect because they didn't believe in the state education system and wanted to homeschool them? Were they abusing their children through neglect because of their personal choices around education? Do they really deserve to have their children taken away for this? And what will the children REALLY learn about the way in which they were neglected?
Each case must be scrutinised on an individual basis and monitored carefully throughout. But without adequate funding there is absolutely no way this can be done.
For the best up-to-date info on this subject please follow the @familyprotection account.
Support family protection,
Be a part of Family Protection.
Run by @markwhittam and @canadian-coconut you can be sure to find a judgement free arena where you can post your related stories without fear and get your questions answered no matter who you are, where you are living or how severe your situation might seem.
Please support them by following upvoting and resteeming their important articles to help build awareness at this exciting time when Steemit is expanding so quickly.
Just this morning I read an incredibly powerful story written by @canadian-coconut for which she deserves every last cent.
I do not often read something here on Steemit which brings tears to my eyes. I was shocked to my core by this true story. And reminded of the importance of my own attempt at building awareness so that others may avoid suffering the same experience.
Thank you @canadian-coconut & @markwhittam for your amazing work to support others. You cannot do better than your best and I am pleased at least you reminded that little girl of what her real name was... and how her real parents felt about her. My heart goes out to you all.
With a lump in my throat now, I give you a few stats:
Notice how...
"Foster care adoptive parents THINK their kids were exposed to" these things... because they don't actually know the TRUTH!
Check this link HERE for an informative slideshow of stats showing the severity of this situation.
http://slideplayer.com/slide/5892647/
Here are a few clips from it:
Is there a dark agenda behind this?
We have established that the poor are being targeted. And if you have taken the time to learn a little more about the slightly disturbing subject of eugenics you may find yourself witnessing a connection between the two subjects.
Some call it conspiracy. I choose not to label it. But most certainly I am aware of it.
Agenda 21
It has many names but in short it designed to control and monitor us like never before, ensuring the rise of a selected breed of people and the demise of others. All for our own good of course. And it is being done in such a way that we are paying for it our of our own pockets with no idea at all what is going on. Even cheering for them on the sidelines, with hope in our hearts for the future!
Without this 'protection' we have been deemed to be getting out of control. The internet has sparked a revolution. A growing awareness of the true power behind the thrown. And in order to maintain control, the poorest people are always the first to go.
In this situation it is better to save the higher tax payers who are not so much a drain on the system.
How many rich folk do you know of going through hard times with the CPS?
That's right. Please let me know in the comments if I am off track here...
In conclusion
I don't want to go too far down this rabbit hole at this moment. It is 5am here in Bali and I need to get an hour sleep before the kids wake up!
Please simply have an awareness of this now. Not fear, for this is not useful. Just know that there are people here on Steemit ready and waiting to help you.
And that my friends, is the most beautiful thing of all 🌷
Special Thanks
I am very grateful to local resident and fellow steemit user @oznine for speaking to me on this subject at length a few days ago. Her experience is in the Australian political system and there is much more to come on this...
I hope to see her make her first post soon! The subject is a big one and all perspectives are important and welcome.
Blessings to you all from Bali, and...
Who is @samstonehill?
Currently based in Bali he travels with his partner & two children. With no bank account he has been living on STEEM & crypto for over six months.
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This post has been Resteemed and Upvoted by @familyprotection
are using "Child Protection Agencies"
to take children away from loving families
and place them in foster care or group homes
or put up for adoption.
THESE FAMILIES NEED PROTECTING.
Thank-you @samstonehill for supporting @familyprotection
I feel as if it is my duty as a father to keep pushing this message out as clearly as I can, always looking at the 'why' as well as the 'how'. It's a big subject for sure and there is more to come still. Thank you for supporting me back 🙏🏻
Thank you for doing what you can to raise awareness. We have had CPS in our lives, involving our grandchildren. What happened was utterly insane. The welfare of the children was clearly only a ruse, they were out to TAKE them. No offer of support to the parents was made, just cops and social workers making demands. We backed them down, but only because my son never let them in the door, then we hid the mom and kids until my husband and I could intervene and have a chat with the case workers. We promised a legal fight they did not want to engage in, we knew our rights. I wish I could get ONE message to every new parent: NEVER, EVER let them in the door.
It would be great if you could write out that story and tag it #familyprotection
People need to hear all these stories so that they are aware and prepared.
I will do that tomorrow.
Not sure if you will see this here, will post to your blog also... but as promised:
https://steemit.com/familyprotection/@fishyculture/protecting-children-requires-knowledge
I really applaud the effort you are putting into trying to understand the reasons for the complete and utter failure from a system that Is apparently here to protect us.
We at @familyprotection are very positive with the reaction we have received, that we are on the right track.
With posts like this we are building a library of evidence, opinions, voices and ammunition that will one day be needed to reclaim our parental rights.
Thanks for continuing to support and be a part of @familyprotection
Bless.
Thank you Mark. It was listening to your voice (and lovely Linda) which got the cogs turning on this one for me. And you are right, I am seeking to understand it as best I can. In this way I am able to write with authority. Though in truth I feel as if I am only scratching at the surface still. And I am yet to talk about the really horrific stuff. But it must be done...
Thank you for your efforts in exposing the corrupt powers that shouldn't be. Upvoted and resteemed.
Thank-you Sam for making this post,
and for mentioning the post that I made about 'When Kidnapped Children Get Adopted.'
Yes, it was incredibly moving. I kept waking up that night after posting it, with the words in my mind "Your Name Is Twyla!" and would start softly sobbing.
Spending that time writing it all out and focusing on it really affected me, and I'm glad to hear that it had a similar impact on folks like yourself.
keep being the children's voice, that is what we have to do keep bringing this kind of thing to light and eventually with enough people aware this goes on then and only then corruption and unlawful kidnappings will hopefully end, so many children and families are affected each day as your article shows, thank you for posting and definitely worth a resteem for sure!!
Unfortunately we live in a world where politics is inefficient in many cases, much more when it comes to something as sensitive as the safety and future of children. We have much to improve as a society, and I hope that many people become aware of the situation that is taking place in many countries and raise their voices, so that politicians stop playing dumb and start applying the policy for the real benefit of the society.
Have a good Christmas holidays!
I love family though me I never had time to grow up with my full family members but with a single mother. I hope you guys will have the best for this Christmas because Christmas is joy, love and spending that time with loved one.
yep, i think you nailed it there.. The system needs to change, and it will only do so from pressure from Us, through mediums like this. Its good to see what is happening on Steemit with this big push and exposure.
Now how does the system change so that we rehabilitate offenders instead of profiting from their incarceration and slavery? How do we change a system that doesn't even think about supporting and helping parents by giving advice and guidance, rather than acting like a military establishment and taking people fundamental births right away?
Change comes first with seeing the problem and admitting it. That is the hardest and biggest step, and it is happening now. So I believe great changes are coming!
Patience is a virtue.
much love and blessings Sam!
Has anyone heard of former state representative Nancy Schaefer of Georgia? In 2007, she released a report called "The Corrupt Business of Child Protective Services" highlighting many of the abuses you have described here. Her political career was over soon after, and she insisted that she was blacklisted due to her outspoken opposition.
Unfortunately, she was allegedly killed by her husband in a murder-suicide a few years later. I cannot help but be skeptical about the circumstances of her death, considering the many enemies she made as an advocate. You will not find many politicians speaking to this issue, so perhaps her story has served as a warning to others.