Legally Kidnapped

Shattering Your Child Welfare Delusions Since 2007


Sunday, November 30, 2008

Manslaughter verdict

Manslaughter verdict

After three days of deliberations, a jury has found the foster mother accused of killing a three-year-old boy in her care guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of second-degree murder.

More charges for couple convicted of foster abuse

More charges for couple convicted of foster abuse

More charges are on the horizon for a couple already serving time for foster abuse.

In March 2006, Arthur and Lori Allain were convicted of nearly starving their 10-year-old foster daughter to death. Now, the girl's half-brother, John Edwards Jr., has filed an amended lawsuit involving negligence against the Allains, the adoption agency Kids Central and his caseworker.

Mothering 4 Money

Mothering 4 Money

Note: I know I always get into trouble for doing this, but here is one of those foster parent blogs. Get the name. Mothering 4 Money. The Domain Name, www.Mothering4Money.com

That's got to tell you something.

From foster child to foster care

From foster child to foster care

As a former foster child, he knows how the system works and wants to encourage potential foster parents to get involved.

"Growing up, I know people just think of it as a bad thing," Calhoun said. "It's not really a kid's fault. Foster care is about giving a kid an opportunity to have a normal life."

Note: Here's one of the few success stories that I sometimes talk about. You gotta wonder what they told this kid throughout his childhood. I know workers lie to the children, keep them in limbo, are always trying to figure out what they're going to do with them, but some just come out brainwashed.

Troubled families of Franklin County -- Foster care: How long is too long?

Troubled families of Franklin County -- Foster care: How long is too long?

Are many of Franklin County's foster children living in limbo after more than 15 months in the foster care program?

Recent figures show that 26 of the county's 88 foster children have been in foster care for one to two years, and another 18 have been in foster care for more than two years.

Children who age out of foster-care system often have tough life ahead

Children who age out of foster-care system often have tough life ahead

While some foster children find traction as adults, finding jobs and moving into their own homes, too many others flounder.

Badly.

Note: Freep.com has been busy this morning.

Changes in state law try to get foster kids out of limbo

Changes in state law try to get foster kids out of limbo

A settlement agreement between Michigan's child welfare system and a New York-based child advocacy group, as well as recent changes in state and federal law, should mean that Michigan's foster children will find homes more quickly.

For foster kids, a tough road to college

For foster kids, a tough road to college

It's hard to get excited about a holiday when you're in college and you're a foster kid.

Consider the emotional quandary of Lydie Vainqueur, of Bridgeport, who was placed in a foster care as a teenager after his mother died.

Federal rules separate kids from abusive families

Federal rules separate kids from abusive families

"The best interest of the child" is the philosophy that should drive child welfare decisions, but the rules that come with federal funding haven't always cooperated.

8-Year-Old Accused of Killing Father Offered Plea Deal

8-Year-Old Accused of Killing Father Offered Plea Deal

Prosecutors offered a plea deal to an 8-year-old boy charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his father and another man in their St. Johns home, court records show.

Complete details of the offer weren't spelled out in a court filing posted Saturday on the Apache County Superior Court's Web site.



Prosecutors have offered a plea deal to an 8-year-old boy charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his father and another man in their Arizona home, court records show. The child's attorney says he's considering the offer.

Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW

Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW

A link worth checking out. This is a world wide mess.

Records show gaps in child welfare oversight before Jazzmin's death

Records show gaps in child welfare oversight before Jazzmin's death

The child welfare worker overseeing an Antioch foster child who police say was tortured for 15 months and starved to death by her foster mother violated state regulations that require regular reports from doctors, therapists and others.

Woman convicted in death of three-year-old foster child

Woman convicted in death of three-year-old foster child

An Edmonton foster mother has been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of a three-year-old boy in her care.

The jury took two days to deliberate and gave its verdict late Saturday afternoon.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

School Nurses Claim CPS Falsified Thousands of Immunization Forms

Note: This is not about Child Protective Services, per say, "CPS" in this story stands for Chicago Public Schools. It is off topic, somewhat, but relevant anyway.

HHS' AdoptUsKids launch new PSAs to encourage adoption of teens from foster care - Video



THE ADVERTISING COUNCIL AND HHS' ADOPTUSKIDS LAUNCH NEW PSAS TO ENCOURAGE ADOPTION OF TEENS FROM FOSTER CARE

Child's Death Raises Questions On Foster Care & Adoption Policy

Foster parents talk about boys killed in fire



New details in a deadly fire in Arlington that killed two boys, plus the foster parents who were caring for the boys speak out. KING 5's Rob Piercy reports.

Gifts that Heal

I post this video only because it mentions using this program to provide dental care for foster children. I'm not picking on the program itself. It's a good thing I guess, but it does suggest that the state is not providing for foster children if a program like this would be needed.

Failure to report sex abuse charge ends St. Louis principal's career

Failure to report sex abuse charge ends St. Louis principal's career

With nearly four decades of service in the St. Louis Public Schools drawing to a close, Richard "Rick" Sirna still felt the tug of his "calling."

Sirna, 60, figured he had two good years of remaining service to the city schools. And once his longtime tenure as the principal of Gateway Elementary ended, he planned to wind down his career at a less stressful county district.

Counties fear costlier foster care

Counties fear costlier foster care

Recent court-ordered improvements to Michigan's foster care system are being praised for helping children, but they could cost cash-strapped counties millions in unplanned expenses.

The changes require local Department of Human Services offices to license family members who take their own relatives into foster care -- a step that previously was not mandated. And in many of those cases, counties may be asked to pay part of that bill.

Dead foster child’s Oklahoma family will hold separate service

Dead foster child’s Oklahoma family will hold separate service

The biological family of a 5-year-old boy who was hit by a car and killed while in state Department of Human Services custody will not be allowed to attend his funeral and burial, but the state is granting them a private memorial service.

Note: How ******* generous of them.

Damning report condemns DOCS

Damning report condemns DOCS

IT IS far too easy to find examples of the impact NSW's unworkable system of mandatory reporting is having on those in need of help from Department of Community Services.

Justice James Wood's report into child protection services is littered with chilling cases of abuse and neglect that have gone unattended because case workers are unable to manage their massive workloads under the flood reports coming into the DOCS help line.

Note: Thanks and Kudos to the person who's been sending these.

For Separated Families, City Never Seemed Bigger

For Separated Families, City Never Seemed Bigger

On good days, it takes Marilyn Loesch two hours to get from her home in Queens to the foster care agency on Staten Island where she is expected for weekly visits with her two daughters. On bad days — when the bus she takes to the subway and the subwayshe takes to the ferry don’t cooperate — the commute can be three hours.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Council official on Baby P



The Acting Director of Children and Families Social Services for Westminster City Council on baby P

Child deaths inquiry calls for reporting overhaul

Child deaths inquiry calls for reporting overhaul

A 12-month inquiry into New South Wales child protection systems has recommended that only children suspected to be at risk of "significant harm" should be reported to the Department of Community Services (DOCS).

Child welfare up for sale

Child welfare up for sale

CHILD welfare agencies have welcomed the chance to take over responsibility for foster care and early intervention programs previously run by the Department of Community Services, but department workers fear outsourcing the work to the non-government sector will put some children at risk of being forgotten.

'Internet baby' in foster care

'Internet baby' in foster care

The Hague - A four-month-old Belgian boy was taken overnight from the Dutch couple alleged to have bought him via the internet and placed in foster care, Dutch child protection officials said on Friday.

Allains, DCF face news abuse lawsuits

Allains, DCF face news abuse lawsuits

The much-publicized story of the Allains ended in March 2006 when the Weeki Wachee couple were convicted of nearly starving a 10-year-old foster girl.

Jury deliberates on foster mom case

Jury deliberates on foster mom case

Jury deliberations have begun in the second-degree murder trial of an Edmonton foster mother accused of killing a three-year-old boy in her care.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

"A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation."
- Saki

UK asking why horrific abuse cases were ignored

UK asking why horrific abuse cases were ignored

LONDON // Two appalling cases of child abuse are raising fundamental questions about the standards of protection offered to children in Britain.

In one case, a 17-month-old baby boy died of horrific injuries, including a broken back, despite being visited more than 60 times in less than a year by police and social workers, who refused to remove him from his mother and her violent boyfriend.

Adoption vid



This is a video to highlight the gagging orders and to support mothers & fathers who have had unfair trials in the secret UK COURT's

WEST HARTFORD: Woman Accused Of Kidnap Try

WEST HARTFORD: Woman Accused Of Kidnap Try

A New Park Avenue woman was expected to spend Thanksgiving in the West Hartford jail after she tried to kidnap her two youngest children, who are in the custody of the state Department of Children and Families, police said.

LGA develops five-point plan to improve child protection

Note: Through no choice of my own, there seems to have been a Thanksgiving Day Baby P Extravaganza! There are some interesting developments in this case that has spilled over onto others. Lets see...

LGA develops five-point plan to improve child protection

Child protection services could suffer “irreparable, long-term damage” in the event of a knee-jerk reaction to the Baby P case, Local Government Association chair Margaret Eaton warned today.
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Baby P: The 20 questions

HARINGEY'S cabinet member for children and young people, Labour councillor Liz Santry, resisted calls for her to resign over the Baby P case along with Haringey Council leader Councillor George Meehan on Monday.
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Five point plan to help social workers after death of Baby P

A five point plan - including advice on how to spot potential problem families - is being devised to help social workers in the wake of the Baby P tragedy.
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Council boss praises social workers after Baby P fury

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S top child protection boss today slammed “totally wrong” attacks on social workers over the Baby P scandal.

Note: Get em!!!
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Baby P social worker witch-hunt 'could harm children'

Social workers could become 'more cautious' and children could be taken into care unnecessarily, says local government chair

Note: High profile child death, Social Services didn't do their job, workers get jumpy, more kids taken into foster care. It happens every time.
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Social work fears in aftermath of Baby P case

SOCIAL workers should not face general attack in the aftermath of the Baby P case, First Minister Alex Salmond said today.

He spoke out in Parliament after concerns were raised by the Association of Directors of Social Work in the Scotland that the profession face vilification over the case.

Police: St. Johns boy vowed 1000th spanking would be limit

Police: St. Johns boy vowed 1000th spanking would be limit

An 8-year-old St. Johns boy charged with double-homicide may have kept a written record of spankings by his parents, vowing that the 1,000th would be his limit, according to a police records released Friday.

This Holiday Season, Remember Children In Foster Care

This Holiday Season, Remember Children In Foster Care

As the holidays approach, we busily prepare and eagerly look forward to celebrating and gathering as a family. As we give thanks for our blessings this Thanksgiving, let us remember the thousands of children in foster care who dream of celebrating this cherished holiday with families of their own.

Note: Notice, they say "families of their own," we say, "Their own families." I guess it's in how things are worded.
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Uprooted: For foster kids, holidays can be wistful

But the holidays are here, and with them comes a time that can be difficult for even the best-adjusted foster children. Even for those who come from the worst situations, it's still easy to miss familiar surroundings.

Ricky's foster mom denied case review

Ricky's foster mom denied case review

The Michigan Supreme Court will not review the conviction of a Williamston woman in the July 2005 murder of 7-year-old Ricky Holland, it was announced Wednesday.

Lisa Holland is serving a life sentence for the death of the child she adopted in 2003. Her husband, Tim Holland, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is serving a 30-to-60-year sentence.

Note: Sucks to be her I guess.

Foster Child's Death Under Investigation

Foster Child's Death Under Investigation

The Department of Human Services is investigating the death of a 5-year-old boy in foster care, the third foster care death in the past five months.

John Gifford, 5, died after a teenager ran over him with a car in Wilson. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating the incident and the Carter County district attorney is expected to decide next week whether to file charges against the foster family.

Shelby County Child Abuse Deaths Up 180 Percent

Shelby County Child Abuse Deaths Up 180 Percent

he number of Shelby County children who have died due to domestic violence continues to rise. So far, 14 children have died this year. The county has experienced a 180 percent increase of child deaths due to abuse over the past three years.

Note: Hmm. CPS must not be doing their job. They just can't get it right either way.

Child Protector Racket

Child Protector Racket

Another blog of wisdom. Check it out.

Foster mother charged in death of infant left in van

Foster mother charged in death of infant left in van

A Jackson County foster mother has been indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct after an infant in her care died when left in a van, officials said Wednesday.

District Attorney Richard Bridgeman said a grand jury indicted Wendy Osborne, 29, on Monday in connection with the death of Jessica Scovil.

On Sept. 2, Osborne, a state-appointed foster mother, failed to realize she left Jessica in her van, according to a police report. It was a day when temperatures reached 85 degrees. Two hours passed before Osborne checked her burgundy Dodge Caravan.

Foster mother not a 'monster'

Foster mother not a 'monster'

Note: Is too.

An Edmonton foster mother accused of killing a three-year-old boy in her care is not “some sort of monster” and should be found not guilty.

That’s what defence lawyer Brian Beresh told a jury this morning during closing arguments in the city woman’s Court of Queen’s Bench second-degree murder trial.

Shelter sought for troubled teens

Shelter sought for troubled teens

Of the 15 troubled youths housed as of Monday at the Crossroads Youth & Family Services' emergency shelter, only eight remain.

Child Protective Service case workers will find new shelter for the remaining youths by next week.

Fears of 'rash' Baby P reaction

Fears of 'rash' Baby P reaction

A "knee-jerk" reaction to the Baby P tragedy could harm children in the long-run, local authorities in England and Wales have warned.

The Local Government Association (LGA) says it is concerned children may be taken into care unnecessarily.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Resolution of Audit Recommendations

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Resolution of Audit Recommendations (A-07-07-04112) http://www.oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/70704112.pdf

We found that during fiscal years 2006 and 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) resolved 3,462 of the 4,650 audit recommendations that were outstanding during this period. However, CMS did not resolve 2,813 of the 3,462 recommendations within the required 6-month period. In addition, as of September 30, 2007, CMS had not resolved 1,188 audit recommendations that were past due for resolution. The dollar amounts associated with these recommendations totaled $1.165 billion. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-50 requires prompt resolution and corrective actions on audit recommendations.
blancheflour: Resolution shall be made within a maximum of 6 months after the issuance of a final report.

As a result of CMS not resolving all audit recommendations in a timely manner, it did not have reasonable assurance that it was exercising proper stewardship over Federal dollars. However, CMS revised its audit resolution procedures during the audit period and has made progress in resolving outstanding audit recommendations in a more timely manner.

We recommended that CMS (1) resolve all audit recommendations within the required 6-month audit resolution period and (2) resolve the 1,188 outstanding audit recommendations that were past due as of September 30, 2007. CMS concurred with our recommendations.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

D.A. WILLING TO PROSECUTE CPS JUDGES IN TEXAS! PAT ALERT!



http://serenahsangels.co.nr/
patalert@ymail.com
BE THERE ON DECEMBER 1, 2008!!!!
Willacy County Courthouse
190 North Third Street
Raymondville , TX 78580

Foster mother indicted in heatstroke death

Foster mother indicted in heatstroke death

A Jackson County grand jury indicted a foster mother on charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct in the heatstroke death of a 9-month-old girl who she left in a minivan in the summer sun.

Officer charged with child neglect

Officer charged with child neglect

A North Augusta Department of Public Safety sergeant was jailed Tuesday on allegations he pinched an adolescent girl in his legal custody so hard he left bruises and finger nail marks on her, according to officials.

Praiseworthy step will help families

Praiseworthy step will help families

Note: Not real families.

I remember the phone call vividly, even years later. It came from a woman who had adopted a girl with fetal alcohol syndrome. Her teenage daughter had all kinds of serious behaviourial problems.

Since she was no longer a foster child, but the woman's legal responsibility, the province would give the adoptive mother little or no help to deal with the girl's needs.

A few months later came another phone call, this time from a woman who longed to adopt a child with a serious medical condition whom she'd been fostering. She couldn't go through with the adoption, she told me, because she couldn't risk losing all the financial and practical supports she received as a foster parent.

'We are devastated' by loss of two boys, family says

'We are devastated' by loss of two boys, family says

As smoke began to fill a Bryant-area home Friday night, adults scrambled to get the family out.

A college-aged daughter smelled smoke just before alarms started to sound. She went bedroom to bedroom on the second floor to wake people up.

Mark Lee was doing the same on the first floor.

As flames filled the home, Lee realized his 11-year-old foster son still was upstairs.
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Tulalip school is grieving once more

A week after breaking the news of a Quil Ceda Elementary student's death, teachers must again share sad news with their classes.

Coming Sunday: Growing up in Michigan's foster care system

Coming Sunday: Growing up in Michigan's foster care system

Father Follows Son In Suing DCF

Father Follows Son In Suing DCF

John Joseph Edwards is using a 2007 appeals court decision as the basis for a lawsuit that claims the Department of Children and Families violated his civil rights.

Communication ‘broken’ in group home situation

Communication ‘broken’ in group home situation

City residents who share a neighborhood with a group home discussed lack of communication during a meeting Tuesday with the organization that operates the home.

Residents who live near the Therapeutic Group Home, 18 Hemlock Road, discussed in depth their concerns in a meeting with Community Mental Health Affiliates — a nonprofit organization contracted with the state Department of Children and Families — at the city’s DCF office.

Does Anyone Remember Tanner?

Does Anyone Remember Tanner?

This blog was sent to me. Check it out.

Foster-care death in Wilson to get scrutiny

Foster-care death in Wilson to get scrutiny

Child welfareFive-year-old dies IN DHS CUSTODY after being hit by vehicle in driveway

A 5-year-old boy in foster care died Tuesday when a 13-year-old girl put into gear a sport utility vehicle she was warming up, running into the boy on a private driveway in Carter County, officials said.
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Grandmother of boy killed in Wilson wreck said he was in foster care

A 5-year-old boy who was in foster care was killed today when he was hit by a car that a 13-year-old girl had started up to warm the engine.

Gay couple closer to dream family after court ruling

Gay couple closer to dream family after court ruling

A Miami judge may have set the tone to reverse a long-standing law that prohibits gay couples to adopt children. With that ruling, a Southwest Florida couple may soon get the family they've been dreaming about.

The truth behind "child protection reform"

The truth behind "child protection reform"

Child Protective Services took my child in October 2004 based on false allegations. I had to fight to get her back and finally did, but not before Child Protective Services had caused great harm to my child and my family.

The truth behind 'child protection reform' is that there has not been any meaningful child protective reform in the United States, but there needs to be. One of the biggest problems with Child Protective Services (CPS) is that they spend too much time investigating false allegations and therefore are unable to investigate real cases of neglect and abuse. So we have the anomaly of innocent parents rotting in prison, while children still die from abuse.

Note: Most reform efforts have included foster parents and social workers. Therefore real parents issues are not considered.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Governor Sebelius Wants Equality For Foster Kids

Governor Sebelius Wants Equality For Foster Kids

An initiative is under way to ensure racial and ethnic equity in Kansas child welfare and juvenile justice programs.

The Wichita branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said Tuesday that the governor is being responsive to its concerns about the need for a statewide analysis of the issue. The group met with the governor in September.

In Depth: Economy strains foster care system

In Depth: Economy strains foster care system

Utah, like many states, is having a tough time recruiting foster care families, and rough economic times could strain the foster care system even more.

The number of foster parents has stayed steady in Utah over the last five years. State officials say that's a problem, because there's a dramatic rise in the number of foster children.

Child and Family Services Director Duane Betournay said, "[There are] 200 to 300 more individuals in custody now than there were five years ago, or even four years ago."

Betournay says he expects even more children to enter the foster system because of budget cuts in other programs.

Baby boy 'murdered by mother' after being handed back by social services

Baby boy 'murdered by mother' after being handed back by social services

A three-month-old baby suffered severe brain damage and died after being shaken by his mother weeks after being handed back to her by social services, a court has heard.

Woman lied about child abuse, police charge

Woman lied about child abuse, police charge

A city woman falsely reported to police that two children were being sexually abused, causing police to remove them from their home while they investigated, police said this morning.

CPS Stole my children

My visit with my children I never knew love till i had them & i want them back

Reward offered in hunt for accused Harris Co. foster dad

Reward offered in hunt for accused Harris Co. foster dad

Crime Stoppers and Harris County sheriff's investigators are seeking the public's help in the search for a man accused of sexually assaulting his 12-year-old foster son.

Donovan Lee Lunford, 29, is charged with two counts of indecency with a child. Bail has been set at $30,000 on each charge.
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Foster father accused of child abuse

A Houston man entrusted to care for a foster child is now wanted by police for allegedly abusing that child.

Authorities say Donovan Lunford had a 12-year-old boy in his home from August to October of this year.

Miami judge rules against Florida gay adoption ban

Miami judge rules against Florida gay adoption ban

A judge on Tuesday ruled that a strict Florida law that blocks gay people from adopting children is unconstitutional, declaring there was no legal or scientific reason for sexual orientation alone to prohibit anyone from adopting.

Sealed agreement reached on dispute over FLDS infant

Sealed agreement reached on dispute over FLDS infant

Attorneys reached an agreement Tuesday over a teen girl's refusal to divulge the whereabouts of her 5-month-old baby to the state's Child Protective Services agency.

Protest planned over child welfare agencies

Protest planned over child welfare agencies

After Becky Welk's successful fight to adopt her foster daughter was described in a Journal Sentinel story last week, she said, hundreds of parents, foster parents and others contacted her about their own concerns and frustrations with the state's child welfare system.

"The response has been unbelievable," Welk said.

Now she's tried to marshal that concern into a protest Wednesday morning outside the Bureau of Child Welfare's Region 3 office, 2745 S. 13th St. The demonstration is to demand that employees at the bureau and the state Department of Children and Families be held publicly accountable when children are killed or injured while in foster care.

Child welfare 'not for business'

Child welfare 'not for business'

THE NSW Government should resist the temptation to shift its responsibility for child welfare to the profit-making private sector, according to welfare experts.

Private companies are keen to enter the child welfare industry because hundreds of millions of dollars are available in the form of government grants from welfare departments desperate to rid themselves of a seemingly never-ending problem.

Juvenile system under fire

Juvenile system under fire

Five years after Wayne County became the first in Michigan to hire private companies to care for delinquent youths, its juvenile justice system is awash in accusations of financial mismanagement, cronyism and fraud.

Judge to Mom: No More Kids!

Judge to Mom: No More Kids!

Have you ever heard about an awful case of child abuse and thought, "Those parents shouldn't be allowed to have anymore kids?" A judge here in Texas had that same thought and did something about it. The sentence he handed down to a young mother has sparked a debate about how far a judge can go to protect a child. News 4 Trouble Shooter Jaie Avila was the only TV reporter to talk to that judge about his controversial ruling.

Child welfare agency hires dozens of case workers

Child welfare agency hires dozens of case workers

Washington's Child and Family Services Agency has hired dozens of social workers in the past month, filling more than half the positions left vacant when about 60 employees quit during the summer.

Organs donated from boy fatally injured in crash

Organs donated from boy fatally injured in crash

The organs of a 16-year-old Otay Ranch High School student who was declared brain dead after a car crash Friday night have been removed for donation at his foster parents' request, despite opposition from his biological relatives.

Jason Spickerman and his 18-year-old brother, Daniel of Chula Vista, were in a car when a suspected drunken driver in a pickup crashed into them in Chula Vista about 11:30 p.m. Friday.

Another couple tried to help abused baby

Another couple tried to help abused baby

Two months before police say 13-month-old Christopher L. Thomas Jr. was beaten to death by his foster mother and his 2-year-old-sister was rescued from months of torture, the state approved placing the children in their biological grandmother's home, their grandfather said Monday.

The children, however, were never moved.

NSW child protection may fail: agencies

NSW child protection may fail: agencies

Welfare agencies warn NSW's child protection system will fall apart unless the state government follows through on the recommendations of a year-long inquiry.

The Association of Children's Welfare Agencies (ACWA) said it will closely monitor the government's efforts following Monday's release of the report compiled by retired Supreme Court justice James Wood.

Editorial: Give foster kids at least this little break

Editorial: Give foster kids at least this little break

California's 77,000 foster kids, taken away from their families because of neglect or abuse, face a life of frequent moves and school changes.

As if life wasn't hard enough for these kids, the California Interscholastic Federation makes it even harder. For purposes of playing high school sports, the federation does not considered it "valid change of residence" if a foster child transfers from one school to another because of a court order.

To the CIF, a transfer is valid only if a student and his or her full immediate family, and all their possessions, move from one place to another. Foster children don't count since they have no "immediate family."

Monday, November 24, 2008

Care chief pleads for courage under fire

Care chief pleads for courage under fire

Scotland's top social work chief has called on the nation's social workers to "hold their nerve" amid a firestorm of criticism prompted by a London council's failure to prevent the death of Baby P.

Judge says foster kid can play football

Judge says foster kid can play football

An Alameda County judge ruled today that the organization that oversees high school sports in California violated state law when it found a Placer County foster child ineligible to play football because of a paperwork mix-up by his school's athletic director.

Justice James Wood wants DOCS removed

Justice James Wood wants DOCS removed

THE business of sheltering abused and neglected children should be taken away from government and handed to the private sector, with only the most serious cases, and those involving infants, handled by government welfare workers.

Private agencies, which operate on a fee-for-service basis, should instead take on the role of recruiting foster parents and managing the long-term care of children who cannot live with their parents.

Foster Care Changes Could Shuffle Children

Foster Care Changes Could Shuffle Children

Dozens, possibly hundreds of foster children could be forced into new homes all because of a change in the way private agencies get paid. At least one agency claims it will go out of business because of it.

Brief, brutal lives of forgotten children

Brief, brutal lives of forgotten children

THEY are the children our society failed - their innocent faces a constant reminder of young lives cut tragically short.

All were known to the Department of Community Services and many were the subjects of repeated notifications before their deaths.

Mandatory reporting of child abuse ‘risks lives’

Mandatory reporting of child abuse ‘risks lives’

Children’s lives will be put at risk if the State Government pushes ahead with its plan to introduce mandatory reporting of child abuse while slashing public spending, the Opposition claims.

A 12-month inquiry into NSW’s child protection system has identified problems with mandatory reporting, resulting in the State child welfare authority being swamped by reports that did not require intervention.

Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Reminds New Parents of 'Safe Haven' Option for Babies

Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Reminds New Parents of 'Safe Haven' Option for Babies

In response to an abandoned newborn found in Columbia County, Department of Public Welfare Secretary Estelle B. Richman today reminded parents that Pennsylvania's safe haven law allows parents to confidentially turn over unwanted infants, up to 28 days old, to any hospital as an alternative to abandonment.

Man posing as social worker in Bartholomew Co.

Man posing as social worker in Bartholomew Co.

Police in Bartholomew County are searching for a man posing as a social worker.

Foster parents in 'house of torture' get year in jail

Foster parents in 'house of torture' get year in jail

The foster parents of five children who endured years of abuse in what prosecutors have called a "house of torture" were sentenced to one year behind bars today.

Note: Any real parent would have gotten longer than that.

San Benito High School teacher accused of sexually assaulting student

San Benito High School teacher accused of sexually assaulting student

A teacher has been placed on administrative leave with pay while school police investigate a sexual assault charge by a student.
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According to the SBPD report, the victim made an outcry to her foster parent at home around 5 p.m. after she was dropped off by a school bus.

CPS needs citizen oversight

CPS needs citizen oversight

By PAM ROACH
GUEST COLUMNIST

More than nine months ago I was contacted by an Enumclaw family whose granddaughter had been swept into the Child Protective Services system and was being put up for adoption. They were riddled with fear and tears. Terror is the word.

FLDS teen won't let Texas officials see her baby

FLDS teen won't let Texas officials see her baby

Texas officials' attempts to locate a baby born this summer to a girl who is a member of a polygamous sect resumed Tuesday afternoon in San Angelo.

On Thursday, 51st District Judge Barbara Walther ordered the 17-year-old girl, her baby and the girl's mother to appear in court after the Department of Family and Protective Services said the teenager refused to let it see the infant.

In a court filing, the department said it wants to conduct an "inspection, observation and genetic testing" of the infant to "protect the safety and welfare" of the teenage mother.

Note: Good for her!

Woman Accused Of Stealing Child, 13, From Metro Restaurant

Woman Accused Of Stealing Child, 13, From Metro Restaurant

A teenager having a supervised visit with his mother was found a day after being taken by the woman from a metro restaurant, police said.

Thomas Ivie, 13, is in state custody while his mother, Tammy Ivie, was arrested on suspicion of child stealing. While the boy's mother is in custody at the Oklahoma County Jail, police said more people could be charged in the case.
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Mother Arrested After Taking Son

Oklahoma City -- An Oklahoma City teen is found safe and his mother has been arrested.

Tammy Lynn Ivie, 30, was arrested on one count of child stealing after taking off with her 13-year-old son without permission.

State fights rape claims of former foster children

State fights rape claims of former foster children

Of the $2.7 million, more than $1 million in fees went to Talenfeld's firm, said Jayme O'Rourke, a Sink spokeswoman.

Talenfeld insists that the private lawyers hired by the state have refused for several years to settle with A.P. and R.M., and have, instead, filed a barrage of motions in an effort to kill or stall the lawsuit.

Portuguese pedopholia trial enters final phase

It’s Portugal’s longest trial… a case which has shocked the nation as it involves sex with children. Four years after its first hearing, the Casa Pia pedophilia case, is in its final phase. It’s an affair which has pointed fingers at several celebrities from the political and entertainment world.

DOCS should investigate 'significant harm' only: inquiry

DOCS should investigate 'significant harm' only: inquiry

Only children suspected of being at risk of "significant harm'' should be reported to the NSW Department of Community Services (DOCS), with a new body to be created for lesser problems, an inquiry recommends.

The special commission of inquiry, headed by retired Justice James Wood, handed down its final report on Monday after public hearings across NSW into child protection.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Social services 'set up CCTV camera in couple's bedroom'

Social services 'set up CCTV camera in couple's bedroom'

Council staff are said to have spied on the young parents at night as part of a plan to see if they were fit to look after their baby, who was sleeping in another room.

The mother and father were forced to cite the Human Rights Act, which protects the right to a private life, before the social services team backed down and agreed to switch off the surveillance camera while they were in bed together.

Stand Up, Speak Out

Stand up, Speak out towards the injustices of the Child Protection system.

Write letters to your MP and MPP making them aware you know what's going on and demand they take action. Tell them you support Bill 93 and want them to support it for the 'bests interests of the children'

15 social workers sacked for putting photos of at-risk children on sick Gary Glitter web picture

15 social workers sacked for putting photos of at-risk children on sick Gary Glitter web picture

Fifteen social workers have been sacked after putting pictures of children from their own at-risk register on to a "joke" email image of paedophile Gary Glitter.

The faces of the vulnerable children were superimposed on to the picture to make it look like Glitter was carrying them in a shopping bag.

DCFS denies newspaper's request to examine files on dead toddler

DCFS denies newspaper's request to examine files on dead toddler

The first attempt to examine confidential case files under a new Illinois law designed to allow public scrutiny of the Department of Children and Family Services in child death cases failed to produce any information.

DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe last week denied a request by the News-Democrat to examine case files involving 3-year-old Bianca Starr, who died Sept. 27 of asphyxiation at her family's home in Herrin. Her mother, Karrae Starr, 18, who had been receiving DCFS services, was charged with first-degree murder. She is accused of holding her hand over Bianca's mouth and pinching her nose until the toddler died.

What is the great American sin?

“Extravagance? Vice? Graft? No; it is a kind of half-humorous, good-natured indifference, a lack of ‘concentrated indignation’ as my English friend calls it, which allows extravagance and vice to flourish. Trace most of our ills to their source, and it is found that they exist by virtue of an easy-going, fatalistic indifference which dislikes to have its comfort disturbed....

The most shameless greed, the most sickening industrial atrocities, the most appalling public scandals are exposed, but a half-cynical and wholly indifferent public passes them by with hardly a shrug of the shoulders; and they are lost in the medley of events. This is the great American sin.”

Joseph Fort Newman
Atlantic Monthly
October 1922

Siblings might be separated if not adopted soon

Siblings might be separated if not adopted soon

Thursday afternoon's play date at Heritage Duck Pond Park was one 7-year-old Roberta and 11-year-old Ja looked forward to for days. The weather was perfect. The fat ducks were picturesque. The children were excited, but for reasons much deeper than the scenery and the chance to play.

Aboriginal foster generation exceeds Stolen Generations

Aboriginal foster generation exceeds Stolen Generations

WELFARE workers in NSW are removing Aboriginal children from their homes in numbers far greater than during the Stolen Generations, and the recruitment of Aboriginal staff has done nothing to stem the tide.

On the eve of the release of another report on the crisis in child welfare, The Australian can reveal that a staggering 4000 Aboriginal children are now in state care in NSW.

Foster families face many challenges

Foster families face many challenges

When Sharon and Bob Johnson decided to adopt one more child, they never dreamed they'd end up with Kylie, a 9-month-old who came to them through the state's foster care program.

Their dream to give their first child, Aimee, now 8, who they adopted from Romania in 2002, a sister was realized when they finalized Kylie's adoption Oct. 21.

Note: Get this...

Until that moment, Sharon worried they would lose the baby girl to a birth parent or family relative who could have come forward and taken custody while she was in foster care.

Note: I've said it before, I'll say it again. Foster parents want your children.

Parent: State should do more for foster children

Parent: State should do more for foster children

Mary Pat Rowland and her husband, Dan, hope to give their five foster children a "forever family" and a house full of love.

But now the couple is facing a financial challenge after they learned their state foster care subsidy would be cut by 41.5 percent overall.

Note: Yep. She's in it for the money.

Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence

Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence

Child Neglect: A Guide for Prevention, Assessment and Intervention. Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers. A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice. The Importance of Fathers in the Healthy Development of Children The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect. Supervising Child Protective Services Caseworkers. Working with the Courts in Child Protection

Note: This is a PDF used to train Social Workers, I believe... Get to know how they think People.

Nebraska reforms 'safe haven' law - AFP



Many of them are just typical teenagers" and do not have specific medical needs," said Todd Landry, director for children and family services in Nebraska.

600 babies at risk of abuse in the womb

600 babies at risk of abuse in the womb

AT LEAST 600 Scottish babies a year are judged to be at risk of abuse before they are even born, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Improving foster care their goal

Improving foster care their goal

The Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children conducted a study showing that about 28 percent of Pennsylvania children in foster care have been in the system for more than 17 months.

Ofsted's child abuse report was misleading

Ofsted's child abuse report was misleading

A 'misleading' figure included in a major government watchdog report has led to a false and vastly inflated picture of the numbers of children who die from abuse in England.

The revelation comes as an Observer investigation today reveals there has been a huge surge in applications to place children into care since the furore over the Baby P case erupted earlier this month. Amid a public clamour for tougher child protection measures, nervous social workers are pressing for the removal of any child suspected of being at risk of abuse.

Child-abuse claims vs. parents' rights

Child-abuse claims vs. parents' rights

Supreme Court mulls whether to take a suit accusing Illinois of forcing families to give up rights.

Call in to Alex Jones Show!



Another call in to the Alex Jones Channel.

8-year-old Might Avoid Murder Charge



An Arizona prosecutor is seeking to dismiss one of two murder charges against an 8-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting his father and another man.

Neb. Takes Away Child Dumping Loophole

Gov. Dave Heineman signed into law Friday a bill adding a 30-day age limit to a safe-haven law that allowed 35 children, including teenagers as old as 17, to be abandoned at state hospitals.

Child's Death Raises Questions On Foster Care & Adoption Policy

Child's Death Raises Questions On Foster Care & Adoption Policy

The foster mother accused of killing a one-year-old little boy and abusing his two-year-old sister is going to trial. As her criminal case moves forward, many want to know why the children were placed with her in the first place. FOX 6's Tami Hughes shows you how this situation is raising questions.

Overworked Investigators May Have Resulted In More Abuse

Overworked Investigators May Have Resulted In More Abuse

Seminole County law enforcement officers admit the caseloads of their child abuse investigators far exceed the national average and some people wonder if that's why an accused molester wasn't arrested even though he'd long had case workers' attention.

Earlier this week, police arrested 38-year-old Jonathan Houston on charges of sexual battery. His suspected victim was under twelve-years-old. His own confession is chilling.

State To Investigate Foster Baby Death

State To Investigate Foster Baby Death

The Department of Children and Families said it will review the case of 1-year-old Christopher Thomas Jr., who died in foster care last week.

Teen in foster care died of malnutrition

Teen in foster care died of malnutrition

Fifteen-year-old Jazzmin Davis' badly scarred, emaciated body was found nude, lying on the floor in a bedroom where she had been confined in her aunt's Antioch home, a coroner's report on her death said.

Pinellas foster kids needn't fly solo

Pinellas foster kids needn't fly solo

Lanky teenagers with peach fuzz slump down in wooden benches. Some have dressed for the occasion in roomy button-downs, while others preferred baggy jeans and dingy high-tops.

Most have an adult by their side. Some are with grandmas, others are sandwiched between mom and dad.

But for the countless foster children who cycle through, it's often a solo endeavor.

Commission: Foster kids need access to records

Commission: Foster kids need access to records

After years in Florida's foster-care system, young adults already face challenges when they move out on their own.

But those challenges grow when some former foster children have problems getting records from the state that include such information as their medical histories and even addresses where they have lived.

Butler couple cleared on abuse charge

Butler couple cleared on abuse charge

A Butler County man honored for helping foster children has been cleared of charges that he abused his adopted daughter by beating her with a belt and slamming her head into a desk.

Note: He got away with it.

Nebraska changes law on abandonment of children of all ages

Nebraska changes law on abandonment of children of all ages

Nebraska state lawmakers on Friday overhauled a law that allowed people to abandon their children of any age legally at hospitals, a senator's office confirmed.

A new law put the age limit for the so-called safe haven law at 30 days (one month) for a newborn, according to the office of Senator Arnie Stuthman.

Note: I guess handing them over on a silver platter takes all the sport out of it for them.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Raid on sect cost Texas child agency $12 million

Raid on sect cost Texas child agency $12 million

The raid of a polygamist sect's Texas ranch cost child welfare authorities $12.4 million in overtime, transportation and shelter costs, according to newly released figures.

London Couple Refused for Adoption over Spanking...Again

London Couple Refused for Adoption over Spanking...Again

Despite a court order to reconsider its former decision, the Newham county council in east London has again refused permission for a local couple to adopt the baby sister of their previously adopted son. The decision came in spite of a court ruling that called the original refusal “bizarre” and a review panel report that described the couple as “strong, caring, sensitive, supportive and resourceful.”

National Adoption Day 2008 Places More Than 4,000 Foster Care Children in Permanent, Loving Homes

National Adoption Day 2008 Places More Than 4,000 Foster Care Children in Permanent, Loving Homes

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, Nov 21, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Judges Joseph M. Lauria and Anthony Trendacosta presided over the adoptions of 368 children and their new families at the Queens Family Court in Jamaica, New York, and at the Edmund D. Edelman Children's Court in Los Angeles on November 15 for National Adoption Day, an annual nationwide celebration of foster care adoption.

Note: Wow! The system sucks must have made a killing. Also, notice this article is posted on the Wall Street Journal's Market Watch

Child safety records scrutinised

Child safety records scrutinised

The annual report of children's services inspectorate Ofsted showed some English local authorities had "inadequate" child protection, it has emerged.
A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.

- Mohandas Gandhi

DCF Supervisor Sentenced To 17 Years In Jail

DCF Supervisor Sentenced To 17 Years In Jail

A former supervisor at the Department of Children & Families has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $1.5 million from the state welfare system.

Psychotic Reaction: Treating ADHD In Maine

Psychotic Reaction: Treating ADHD In Maine

Earlier this week, the FDA advisory committee slammed the rising use of antipsychotics in youngsters, particularly to treat attention deficit disorders. The meds, you see, were approved by the agency for schiozphrenia or bipolar disorder - and only recently for youngsters, in some cases (back story).

Websites probed over Baby P posts

Websites probed over Baby P posts

Police are investigating an internet hate campaign which has breached an order preventing the identification of those convicted in the Baby P case.

Note: The media is having a field day with this kid. I wonder if newspaper sales have increased.

Those most at risk are best dealt with by specialists

Those most at risk are best dealt with by specialists

THE tortured life of Baby P, and his hideous death at the hands of his mother and two men, convicted on November 11th, have provoked a national bout of soul-searching and recrimination. The toddler was killed despite being under close scrutiny by child-protection services in Haringey, the north London borough where he lived. That has led to questions about how children are protected from harm, both in Haringey and elsewhere.

An independent review of children’s services in Haringey is now under way. If its conclusions, expected by December 1st, are damning, senior staff are likely to be sacked and replaced by a government-run hit squad. Some egregious failings have already come to light, notably failures by social workers and doctors to spot serious injuries. But many of the problems that bedevil Haringey are replicated nationally.

State hoping more older children will be adopted

State hoping more older children will be adopted

These and other statistics were discussed last week at a press conference to mark National Adoption Month. The goal is to encourage the adoption of older children. Nationally, each year about 24,000 children “age out” of the foster care system without being placed with a permanent family.

State to pay more than $6 million to former foster children of abusive woman

State to pay more than $6 million to former foster children of abusive woman

The state will pay more than $6 million to former foster children of Carole DeLeon, including the estate of the 7-year-old who died of starvation in her care.

Social worker accused of lying to Montgomery County Court

Social worker accused of lying to Montgomery County Court

A clinical social worker will have to stand trial in Montgomery County Court on charges he lied about his credentials.

Ira L. Bilofsky, 49, of the first block of Ridge Woods Way, Towamencin, earlier this week waived his preliminary hearing on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice, lying to law enforcement authorities and related offenses.

He remains free on $10,000 bail pending the outcome of his trial.

Bilofsky has testified as an “expert” witness in Montgomery County Family Court matters and lists himself as having provided services to, among others, the North Penn School District and the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth.

Grandfather sentenced in adopted child abuse case

Grandfather sentenced in adopted child abuse case

George Long, the adoptive grandfather at the center of an infamous Valley child-abuse case, for the first time spoke publicly Thursday about his role -- four years after he kicked off a major investigation by picking up the phone.

Long made the 911 call in July 2004 that eventually alerted authorities to the grim living conditions at the compound he and his wife, Shirley, shared with Sherry and Patrick Kelley off Misty Lake Road: five adopted children without access to running water or toilets or bedrooms, sleeping under tarps, going hungry, and suffering sometimes bizarre punishments.

Iowa works to overcome racial bias in foster care

Iowa works to overcome racial bias in foster care

State officials have launched a campaign designed to reduce the disproportionate number of minority children in Iowa's foster care system, Iowa Department of Human Services Director Gene Gessow said Thursday.

The campaign, called "Help Make No Difference," encourages people to be aware of cultural differences and help end racial bias in the state's child welfare system.

Note: So what? They're going to start taking more white children to achieve some sort of balance?

Foster Care Facility Under Investigation Wants Answers

Foster Care Facility Under Investigation Wants Answers

A troubled foster care agency that has been virtually shut down since an FBI raid in May is looking for answers from the state.

The Nebraska State Patrol and the FBI raided Sigma Treatment Foster Care to investigate allegations of embezzlement, overbilling and fraudulent billing.

Outcry over gag on Baby P report

Outcry over gag on Baby P report

Ministers face demands for a change in the law after declaring that the detailed report into Haringey Council's handling of the Baby P case cannot be made public.

State Drops Dependency Hearing Petition for Boy, 8, Accused of Killing Father

State Drops Dependency Hearing Petition for Boy, 8, Accused of Killing Father

The state of Arizona had sought to have a court determine who should be in charge of an 8-year-old boy accused in the deaths of his father and another man but withdrew that petition today.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Sarah Ferguson angers Turkish social services

Sarah Ferguson angers Turkish social services

Turkey's social services agency has asked prosecutors to open a case against Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, over her involvement in a British TV programme on Turkish orphanages, an agency spokesman said.

The government has accused Ferguson of smearing Turkey's image in an attempt to harm its European Union membership bid in the undercover documentary, which highlighted poor conditions at rehabilitation centres for mentally handicapped children.

DCF worker who stole $1.5 million to be sentenced

DCF worker who stole $1.5 million to be sentenced

A former supervisor at the Department of Children & Families is expected to be sentenced in Fort Lauderdale Thursday after she pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1.5 million from the state welfare system.

Child protection reform

Child protection reforms in the wake of Baby P

Obama’s Pick of Daschle May Test Conflict-of-Interest Pledge

Obama’s Pick of Daschle May Test Conflict-of-Interest Pledge

President-elect Barack Obama’s selection of former Senator Tom Daschle for secretary of health and human services posed new questions on Wednesday about how broadly the new administration would apply Mr. Obama’s campaign promises to limit potential conflicts of interest among his appointees.

OCS under the microscope

OCS under the microscope

In a crowded conference room at the legislature’s Fourth Avenue office building last Friday some state legislators got a preview of an important federal report on the Alaska Office of Child Services.

Suffolk's child protection fears

Suffolk's child protection fears

VULNERABLE children are at greater risk of abuse because of overburdened social workers and high vacancy rates, Suffolk's head of children's services has warned.

UK Police Withheld Details of Sex Abuse at Orphanage From Albanian Authorities

UK Police Withheld Details of Sex Abuse at Orphanage From Albanian Authorities

British police helped cover up a horrific sex abuse scandal at a Christian missionary orphanage in Albania, a Guardian investigation has found.

Senior officers agreed to keep details of abuse secret from their counterparts in Albania after the British director of the orphanage, David Brown, persuaded them that while children had been sexually abused in his care, he had played no part in it.

Brown, 57, an evangelical charity worker who founded the His Children orphanage seven years ago, was yesterday found guilty of "sexual relations" with minors.

Foster mom grilled on kid's self-abuse

Foster mom grilled on kid's self-abuse

The cross-examination of a foster mom accused of killing a young boy in her care ended yesterday with suggestions she was fabricating the child's self-abusive behaviour.

State to pay $7 mil for mistakes in DeLeon death

State to pay $7 mil for mistakes in DeLeon death

The State of Washington will pay nearly $7 million for mistakes it made in the death of a little boy. Tyler DeLeon was 28 pounds when he died on his seventh birthday. His foster and adoptive mother is in prison for starving him to death. Now, the state is settling with Tyler's foster brothers and sisters.

Young murder suspect can spend holiday with mother

Young murder suspect can spend holiday with mother

An 8-year-old boy accused of killing his father and another man in rural eastern Arizona will be allowed to spend Thanksgiving with his mother.

The boy and his mother, Eryn Thomas, sat beside each other in court Wednesday in St. Johns, often leaning over and whispering into one another's ear. The boy, wearing a navy blue shirt and pants, was free from the cuffs he wore in a previous hearing.

Judge Michael Roca agreed to allow the boy to leave juvenile detention from noon on Nov. 26 until noon on Nov. 28. Prosecutor Brad Carlyon objected, citing concerns about the safety of the public.


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Raw Video: Boy Confesses to Shooting Dad



An 8-year-old boy accused in the deaths of his father and another man gave police conflicting accounts about the shootings, at one point saying, "I wasn't shooting any guns" before admitting to firing at least two shots at each of the men.

Note: I can't believe this video is online. I can't believe what is happening to this kid. He needs help not juvenile detention. He's 8.
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Child Murder Suspect: There Was Blood 'All Over'

An 8-year-old Arizona boy accused of fatally shooting his father and another man is shown in a video calmly telling law enforcement officers that he found the men lying in his home after returning from school on the day of the shootings.


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Free the eight-year-old alleged killer

The debate over whether the eight-year-old Arizona boy should be prosecuted as an adult or as a juvenile misses the point entirely: he should not be prosecuted at all.

Sigh....

As many of the regular readers know, every now and then I come across a blog post that just makes me want to vomit.

This one is no exception.

Secrets Part I - Calling Child Protective Services on Family

Tories accused of trying to hide foster care abuse

Tories accused of trying to hide foster care abuse

Instead of making kids in foster care safer, the provincial government is making it harder for the public to find out about abuse, says the NDP.

NDP MLA Rachel Notley charged that proposed changes to child welfare laws will restrict access to reports of abuse and neglect of children in foster care.

Note: We'll find out anyway.

Atlanta Monitoring Foster Children More Carefully, But Still Failing to Provide Critical Services

Atlanta Monitoring Foster Children More Carefully, But Still Failing to Provide Critical Services

Three years after the state of Georgia undertook a major effort to reform the Atlanta child welfare system under a federal court order secured by Children’s Rights, the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) has improved its oversight of abused and neglected children in state custody, says a new report issued today. But the report also shows that DFCS is still falling short in its implementation of court-ordered reforms in several key areas — and must heighten its efforts to comply with the court order regardless of budgetary concerns, Children’s Rights officials say.

Honorable Members of the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission:

Honorable Members of the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission:

It has come to national attention of the pending investigation of Rep. Tom Burch
surrounding his activities in a child custody case.

What should be taken into consideration is that a family had to contact an
elected official to plead for assistance in the matter pending before the court.
This honorable member of the Legislature jeopardized his public office on behalf
of a desperate family. These events, in itself, should raise a red flag
regarding the jurisprudence of the matter.

As the details of the case are not public, the model is.

The generation of fraudulent documents and false federal claims runs rampant in
child welfare proceedings across the nation. As this Commission goes forth with
the ethics investigation of Rep. Burch, contemporaneous referrals should be made
to the Auditor General and Attorney General to investigate violations of the
State's Medicaid False Claims Act.

Social Security is a bi-polar system, with one end representing the aged and the
other end the child.

I thank you in advance for your participation in ameliorating Medicaid Fraud in
Child Welfare.

Beverly Tran
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise therof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the
press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.


The Bill of Rights: First Amendment
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Send a letter in support of Rep. Tom Burch to:

Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission
22 Mill Creek Park
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

PHONE: (502) 573-2863
FAX: (502) 573-2929

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

A Survey



Here is another legislator going before the ethics commission in Kentucky.

Here is another legislator going before the ethics commission in Kentucky. A woman, who had to represent herself pro se in a parental termination action involving social workers.

Representative Burch wrote a letter to the appeals court regarding the bad faith actions of the Cabinet (or something to that effect because he is very anti-social worker I haven't seen the letter myself)

Representative Burch needs our support. Here are the websites and we need to do the same gang comment in support of him and Senator Roach.

http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2008/11/17/ethics-panel-investigating-rep-tom-burch/

http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/596176.html

A father writes

My children Mackay and Morgan, 6 year old twins were taken Nov 5 2008 after an argument w/my wife. the state of Washington has tried to discredit me even though I am an Honorable man. long story but they have me jumping through hoops and it is getting worse. I feel helpless and need support. the state has caused emotional harm to my kids and they just drag their feet, takes months to get anything done.

Foster Care Checks Are In The Mail ... Almost

Foster Care Checks Are In The Mail ... Almost

On Monday, we reported that Illinois officials were scrambling to find the funds for thousands of vouchers that parents and social service agencies rely on to care for foster children across the state.

Well, the crisis has been averted.

We got word that Comptroller Dan Hynes' office cut $30 million worth of aid checks last night. The money should make it to foster care providers without delay, according to spokesman Alan Henry.

Note: I could think of a lot better ways to spend that money.

Staten Island's McMahon names controversial ex-judge to congressional staff

Staten Island's McMahon names controversial ex-judge to congressional staff

A former Staten Island Family Court judge -- who resigned 15 years ago amid charges that he sexually harassed female court personnel -- will be on the payroll of Democratic Congressman-elect Mike McMahon to oversee the operation of the three district offices McMahon said he will open here and in Brooklyn.

Systemic Failure

Systemic Failure

After years of mismanagement the state Department of Children and Families may finally be forced to reorganize

In July, Daniel, 14, was found passed out in the town center. Someone called the state Department of Children and Families. Daniel was already known to the agency; his parents have been investigated by DCF eight times for abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. But DCF did not investigate this issue because a recent investigation into Daniel's mother had been closed two days earlier, says the state Child Advocate Jeanne Milstein.

Note: They can reorganize all they want, it will still be run by a bunch of no good babystealers.

DCF: We failed baby who died, had wrong focus

DCF: We failed baby who died, had wrong focus

The Department of Children and Families has found that it failed to ensure the safety of a 5-month-old Lake County boy who died under suspicious circumstances earlier this month.

Kids spend too much time in foster care, advocacy group says

Kids spend too much time in foster care, advocacy group says

Too many Pennsylvania kids taken from troubled homes are spending more than a year in foster care, according to the child advocacy group Pennsylvania Partnership for Children. In a report released today, PPC noted that nearly 30 percent of foster children spend 17 months or more in temporary living arrangements. Statewide, it takes an average 31 months for a foster child to be adopted.

Large Percentage of Foster Children in Limbo in PA

Large Percentage of Foster Children in Limbo in PA

PA Partnerships for Children Releases New Report on Child Welfare System

New report shows 30 percent of children have no prospect of a permanent family

Mother tackles social worker

Mother tackles social worker

Five-year-old Willem* weighed 17kg and had a mouth full of rotten teeth when his desperate mother flew to Cape Town and took him away from his father.

FLDS mom drops action against Texas CPS

FLDS mom drops action against Texas CPS

A Fundamentalist LDS mother who sought sanctions against Texas child welfare officials for taking her 2-year-old daughter in the raid on the YFZ Ranch has dropped the issue.

Numbers drop for state's out-of-home foster care

Numbers drop for state's out-of-home foster care

The average daily number of Oklahoma children in out-of-home foster care has dropped below 7,000 for the first time in more than three years.

September's number was reported at 6,902, Department of Human Services figures released Tuesday show. It marked the sixth-straight monthly decline.

Foster parent who abused teen boys in Perth is jailed

Foster parent who abused teen boys in Perth is jailed

A foster parent who abused four teenage boys then went on the run before his trial has been jailed for eight years and three months.

DCF admits mistakes in case of child that died

DCF admits mistakes in case of child that died

Ashley and Tammi Baker were the care takers of five month old Gabriel Golden when he died earlier this month. They found him unresponsive inside their home, and he later died.

Isaac Lethbridge



The memorial slideshow for Isaac Lethbridge, who was murdered on 8-16-06

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Our view: Foster care

Our view: Foster care

John Henderson works for the federal government, reviewing how well states serve children in their foster care system. At the Alaska Legislature's Foster Care summit Friday, he gave an overview of Alaska's performance in meeting federal standards.

Alaska's report doesn't look especially good.

Now why would anybody want to do that?

Bath woman loses children, allegedly threatens to kill foster parent and kids while on speaker phone

A 42-year-old Bath woman threatened Friday to shoot her children and the potential foster parent of one of the kids, police said.

Foster kids face huge struggle becoming adults

Foster kids face huge struggle becoming adults

Each year thousands of foster kids age out of care and are left on their own. Some former foster kids said they are faced with very limited options once that care is gone.

At age 19 Curtis Larsen was on his own - no longer covered by foster care services.

Foreign adoptions by Americans drop sharply

Foreign adoptions by Americans drop sharply

The number of foreign children adopted by Americans fell 12 percent in the past year, reaching the lowest level since 1999 as some countries clamped down on the process and others battled with allegations of adoption fraud.

Child protection stifled by £30m computer system - report

Child protection stifled by £30m computer system - report

A government computer system intended to improve the handling of child abuse cases has led to social workers having to spend more than 100 hours for every case filling out forms, cutting the time they have to make visits.

Note: Excuses, excuses.

Grandma wants to adopt four kids

Grandma wants to adopt four kids

The surviving children of Liz and David Carroll Jr. no longer need therapy to cope with the death of 3-year-old foster child Marcus Fiesel and the imprisonment of their parents, a judge was told Monday.

F4J Protests Pizza Box/Deadbeat Dad Campaign


HAMILTON, OH — Pictures of fathers wanted for child support attached to pizza boxes prompted a protest at a Hamilton pizzeria Friday.

Members of Fathers-4-Justice, a nonprofit volunteer group fighting for "truth, justice and equality in family law," stood outside Karen's Pizzeria on Eaton Avenue for hours dressed in camouflage pants and bright shirts, waving posters and banners stating "Kids need both parents. Families now. Reform now." http://f4j.us

In pictures: Baby P's short life

In pictures: Baby P's short life

On 13 November the Children's Minister Ed Balls ordered an inquiry into the role of the local authority, the health authority and the police in the case of Baby P.

21 children from Alamo's compound taken into protective custody

21 children from Alamo's compound taken into protective custody

Arkansas officials took 21 children into protective custody today while hearings were being held for six others taken from the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries in September.

Foster carer jailed for sexually abusing boys

Foster carer jailed for sexually abusing boys

A PERTH foster carer who preyed on teenage boys was jailed for eight years and three months at the High Court in Paisley yesterday.

Paulnacha O’Mairthini subjected four boys to a catalogue of sexual abuse and attacks over a period of more than six years.

Mahabalipuram orphanages may be hotbeds of child sexual abuse

Mahabalipuram orphanages may be hotbeds of child sexual abuse

CHENNAI: As the world debates ways and means to curb child sexual abuse on Wednesday, the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse, the evil may be spreading with impunity in Chennai’s backyard, Mahabalipuram.

What’s more appalling, orphanages, where children are supposed to feel safe, could be turning into hotbeds of child sexual abuse.

There Are No Natural Allies to Protect Families...They Are On Their Own

There Are No Natural Allies to Protect Families...They Are On Their Own

Angry CASAs Descend On Senator Roach At Public Hearing

Note: Here is one of the few who are willing to stick up for us. Please show her your support.

Young woman suing Collier ex-foster father arrested on sexual abuse charges

Young woman suing Collier ex-foster father arrested on sexual abuse charges

An 18-year-old is suing her former foster father, who allegedly sexually abused her while living in his Collier County guesthouse for more than two years, records show.
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Collier lawsuit claims sexual abuse by foster father

City foster mother tells court 3-year-old fell & hit head

City foster mother tells court 3-year-old fell & hit head

A foster mother accused of killing a three-year-old boy in her care has told a jury the child fell from her arms and hit his head on a toilet.

Testifying in her own defence at her second-degree murder trial, the 34-year-old woman said she had awoken to the boy's screaming.

Guess what

It Could Happen To You