Her 4-year-old daughter was beaten to death while living in foster care in Mexico and now a Beaverton woman says she wants to use her loss to save other children.
Another tragedy, at the hands of the so called Child Protectors. How can a person be assessed for suitability, for a Child care role,on the telephone? The real name for this poor child's death is Corporate manslaughter. Alison Stevens Parents Against Injustice,
The situation described is a horrific depiction of abuse of power and the failings of a system designed to protect the most vulnerable. PERIOD. The sole theme that arises is death of a child that is preventable with change to current Policy. Situations change as do faces and location, but similar tragic results occur time and again.
The topic has less to do with race or location of event than misguided attempts by Officials to correct situations without adequately knowing how to support the actions that ensue. Far too often, children are further failed by well-meaning intent where consequences of interference are not well-planned, nor followed through. As a white, professional, Canadian, I can assure - through experience - that miscarriage of justice happens to all groups of individuals and is not limited to the child protection sector, but includes parents who seek assistance from the Government for support of their developmentally and medically vulnerable children as well. The same tragic failings are apt to result no matter the situation, ethnicity or location.
While a number of references have been made to increasing funding for out of home placements and foster care (including recruitment and retention strategies) I find no similar allocation of assistance towards natural families to maintain the family unit. Yet, statistically, all studies demonstrate more favourable and productive, as well as financially feasible outcomes result in prevention of family collapse.
Let me be clear, no slight is intended towards those individuals who offer genuine care and affection for children through foster care, which is an unfortunate consequence of commentary. However, the issue is aimed towards those representative of foster placements who exist which are over-burdened and/or utilizing their significant role incorrectly as a method of income without vested interest in the child(ren). Differential treatment of children can and has arisen within fostering support of individuals who enter into a family constellation and this is an inappropriate, offensive and unacceptable guise of "care".
The foster care system is strained and over-laden by vast numbers of individuals who are incorporated into it without adequate reflection on evaluating status and competency to provide responsible care to the children served.
Continuous review of a child's needs in out of home placements must be revisited with face to face contact maintained for evaluation of the situation. No one should be free from accountability... no one! If and when change is deemed necessary - any red flags, for instance, of concern for a child's care - then, an action plan must be formulated with follow-through to protect that child.
Maltreatment and neglect of a child in care cannot be ignored. A Foster setting that abuses its authority by intimidation of the child, caseworkers and natural families is not fit to maintain status. Lack of resources is not an acceptable excuse for allowing a child to succumb to harm and subsequent death!
There is no standard for distinguishing care-giver's roles: Medical and educational documents must be maintained; to be absent or missing from a child's files is unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the guardian to maintain these and should the Director be granted provision of Guardianship, certainly that same entity is under legal obligation to secure and maintain these on behalf of the youth as well as respond to concerns over the child's care.
Key opportunities to coordinate reporting efforts amongst Educational, Medical Agencies and Child Welfare Authorities are missing. Often, children "in care" are victims of ignorance where an absence of awareness exists between Schools and Medical Institutions towards Legal Authority for very basic and vital issues. This includes simple matters such as the authority to grant permission for everyday occurrences from field trips to more major decisions such as allowance or denial of administration of drugs - or - even a medical procedure!
Furthermore, negative associations exist in the Public's perception of those individuals who seek help for their loved one when services are allocated under the same frame as Child Protection. Negative attitude is not limited to the general population, but transmits to those of caseworkers; supports need for creation of an entirely separate provision of status for individuals accessing services for disability alone under new terminology apart from the Ministry of Children's Services.
That apart, ALL children deserve to be free from neglect and abuse. Review, after the fact is far too late to visit change and when I continue to see the same infractions transpiring all over the Nation despite promise for change, there remains a grave problem.
With all my heart, I agree with the mother of the victim in this tragic instance: In order to prevent subsequent needless deaths of children, we, the survivors, must band together and promote better strategies. Those who have lost a child are able to offer unique insight. We can formulate Policy that is able to provide creative strategies towards awareness of deficits and how best to avoid horrific histories repeating itself upon other young lives.
Active participation across the humanities will not detract from accountability, the more input, the better the chance at raising awareness and protection. We each hold the key and ability to maintain promotion of good in the best interest of the child. The Public must raise its voice in concern and demand transparency in Governing. In the wise words of Edmund Burke: "All that is necessary for evil to succeed, is for good men to do nothing."
Another tragedy, at the hands of the so called Child Protectors.
ReplyDeleteHow can a person be assessed for suitability, for a Child care role,on the telephone?
The real name for this poor child's death is Corporate manslaughter.
Alison Stevens Parents Against Injustice,
The situation described is a horrific depiction of abuse of power and the failings of a system designed to protect the most vulnerable. PERIOD. The sole theme that arises is death of a child that is preventable with change to current Policy. Situations change as do faces and location, but similar tragic results occur time and again.
ReplyDeleteThe topic has less to do with race or location of event than misguided attempts by Officials to correct situations without adequately knowing how to support the actions that ensue. Far too often, children are further failed by well-meaning intent where consequences of interference are not well-planned, nor followed through. As a white, professional, Canadian, I can assure - through experience - that miscarriage of justice happens to all groups of individuals and is not limited to the child protection sector, but includes parents who seek assistance from the Government for support of their developmentally and medically vulnerable children as well. The same tragic failings are apt to result no matter the situation, ethnicity or location.
While a number of references have been made to increasing funding for out of home placements and foster care (including recruitment and retention strategies) I find no similar allocation of assistance towards natural families to maintain the family unit. Yet, statistically, all studies demonstrate more favourable and productive, as well as financially feasible outcomes result in prevention of family collapse.
Let me be clear, no slight is intended towards those individuals who offer genuine care and affection for children through foster care, which is an unfortunate consequence of commentary. However, the issue is aimed towards those representative of foster placements who exist which are over-burdened and/or utilizing their significant role incorrectly as a method of income without vested interest in the child(ren). Differential treatment of children can and has arisen within fostering support of individuals who enter into a family constellation and this is an inappropriate, offensive and unacceptable guise of "care".
The foster care system is strained and over-laden by vast numbers of individuals who are incorporated into it without adequate reflection on evaluating status and competency to provide responsible care to the children served.
Continuous review of a child's needs in out of home placements must be revisited with face to face contact maintained for evaluation of the situation. No one should be free from accountability... no one! If and when change is deemed necessary - any red flags, for instance, of concern for a child's care - then, an action plan must be formulated with follow-through to protect that child.
Maltreatment and neglect of a child in care cannot be ignored. A Foster setting that abuses its authority by intimidation of the child, caseworkers and natural families is not fit to maintain status. Lack of resources is not an acceptable excuse for allowing a child to succumb to harm and subsequent death!
There is no standard for distinguishing care-giver's roles: Medical and educational documents must be maintained; to be absent or missing from a child's files is unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the guardian to maintain these and should the Director be granted provision of Guardianship, certainly that same entity is under legal obligation to secure and maintain these on behalf of the youth as well as respond to concerns over the child's care.
Key opportunities to coordinate reporting efforts amongst Educational, Medical Agencies and Child Welfare Authorities are missing. Often, children "in care" are victims of ignorance where an absence of awareness exists between Schools and Medical Institutions towards Legal Authority for very basic and vital issues. This includes simple matters such as the authority to grant permission for everyday occurrences from field trips to more major decisions such as allowance or denial of administration of drugs - or - even a medical procedure!
Furthermore, negative associations exist in the Public's perception of those individuals who seek help for their loved one when services are allocated under the same frame as Child Protection. Negative attitude is not limited to the general population, but transmits to those of caseworkers; supports need for creation of an entirely separate provision of status for individuals accessing services for disability alone under new terminology apart from the Ministry of Children's Services.
That apart, ALL children deserve to be free from neglect and abuse. Review, after the fact is far too late to visit change and when I continue to see the same infractions transpiring all over the Nation despite promise for change, there remains a grave problem.
With all my heart, I agree with the mother of the victim in this tragic instance: In order to prevent subsequent needless deaths of children, we, the survivors, must band together and promote better strategies. Those who have lost a child are able to offer unique insight. We can formulate Policy that is able to provide creative strategies towards awareness of deficits and how best to avoid horrific histories repeating itself upon other young lives.
Active participation across the humanities will not detract from accountability, the more input, the better the chance at raising awareness and protection. We each hold the key and ability to maintain promotion of good in the best interest of the child. The Public must raise its voice in concern and demand transparency in Governing. In the wise words of Edmund Burke: "All that is necessary for evil to succeed, is for good men to do nothing."
All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing.
ReplyDeleteDHS operates with no discernment .. their only focus seems to be greed - money stream into The Agency.
Woe unto the families and children at the hands of this department.
I will be at the Salem Oregon rally.
The truth needs to be told.