Monday, November 30, 2015

Program helps foster children by providing luggage for them to move belongings as they switch foster homes

Note: While this is a nice gesture, it distracts from the real problem which is bouncing kids through multiple foster homes in the first place.  Stability is important.

Program helps foster children by providing luggage for them to move belongings as they switch foster homes

A child’s life doesn’t belong in a trash bag.”

That’s the opinion of Kathy Johnson, who is conducting the Bristol Department of Social Services’ luggage drive.

Growing number of children adopted by relatives

Growing number of children adopted by relatives

When their granddaughter was put into foster care a little more than three years ago, Mark and Tonya Chidester felt they had to act to keep the girl in their family.

Speaking up for Special Needs: Teacher says Bureau of Child Welfare ignored pleas for help

Speaking up for Special Needs: Teacher says Bureau of Child Welfare ignored pleas for help

A FOX6 Investigation has found that kids with disabilities are dying in Wisconsin from abuse and neglect, despite repeated calls to child protective services.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Angels of Adoption Arrested

Angels of Adoption Arrested

A Kansas couple was awarded as “Angels of Adoptions” for adopting and fostering many children over the years. The couple, 34-year-old Topeka City Councilman Jonathan Schumm and 32-year-old Allison Nicole, adopted 10 children and were fostering two in addition to their four biological children. However, the “Angels of Adoption” may not have been angels after all. The couple has been charged with abusing five of the 16 children in their custody.

Children dying in State care due to resources, deputy claims

Children dying in State care due to resources, deputy claims

Children are dying while in the care of the State as a result of inadequate resourcing for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Fianna Fáil spokesman for children has said.

Homeschool Couple Pepper Sprayed in Front of Children Reach Settlement With Sheriff, Deputy

Homeschool Couple Pepper Sprayed in Front of Children Reach Settlement With Sheriff, Deputy

A homeschooling couple has agreed to accept a settlement offer from a Missouri sheriff and his deputy after they filed a lawsuit for being pepper sprayed and tasered for refusing to let police in their house without a warrant.

Children on the street slip through the cracks; state has misplaced priorities

Children on the street slip through the cracks; state has misplaced priorities

Despite our booming economy, homelessness is on the rise. Especially troubling is the number of youths living on the street. How did they end up there, and what can we do to help them? This Opinion project looks in depth at these issues and proposes solutions.

Norwegian Christian couple accused of 'indoctrinating' children have them removed

Norwegian Christian couple accused of 'indoctrinating' children have them removed

An extraordinary row has erupted over the removal by Norway's child welfare services of the five children of a Pentecostal Christian couple.

HC Glare on 'Illegal' Orphanage

HC Glare on 'Illegal' Orphanage

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Additional District Magistrate Court (I) Judge Deepthi Arivunithi to inspect an unregistered orphanage home run by a German pastor couple at Tiruchy, where 89 children were alleged to have been trafficked and kept in illegal confinement.

Mother who claims nurses STOLE her baby campaigns for parental rights – and says newborns were sold in hospital parking lot

Mother who claims nurses STOLE her baby campaigns for parental rights – and says newborns were sold in hospital parking lot

Fifty years after a St. Louis gospel singer said she was told that her daughter died at birth – a claim disputed by authorities – and months after the 76-year-old woman learned that her daughter was still alive, a judge is being asked to restore the birth mother’s parental rights.

A Dark Piece in America’s Subconscious: Native Children in the Child Welfare System

A Dark Piece in America’s Subconscious: Native Children in the Child Welfare System

In 1879 an army officer named Richard H Pratt opened a boarding school for Indian youth in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  This was the first of many schools which ran with the full support of the federal government, and with the expressed goal of Americanizing Native Americans, or in other words, “Kill the Indian, and save the man.” When dealing with the issue of child welfare, the research and literature suggest this is an issue inseparable from racial disparity.  When we consider the experience of Native American children in the welfare system we see an additional component, not only the often competing interests of keeping a family together, and keeping a child safe but also that of preserving cultural integrity.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Police ignore judge’s order, to help Latvian family escape British social workers

Police ignore judge’s order, to help Latvian family escape British social workers

Over the past three years, mounting alarm has been expressed by the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and various eastern European governments at the readiness of Britain’s social workers to seize an ever-growing number of children from foreign parents working in the UK for what they consider to be wholly misguided reasons. Foreign government figures show, for instance, that these include 1,000 Polish children; and the number of Latvian families reporting the removal of their children has risen from seven in 2012 to 40 in 2013 and 89 in 2014.


Foster care system has real problems

Foster care system has real problems

A legislative hearing last week in Topeka raised serious concerns about the state’s foster care system. Unfortunately, lawmakers also wasted time on what should be a nonissue: same-sex parents.

Man fighting for custody of daughter may get chance to help raise her

Man fighting for custody of daughter may get chance to help raise her

A father fighting for the custody of his recently adopted infant daughter received mixed news Monday, as the child's adoptive parents gave up custody, but did so by giving the child to her biological mother, who reportedly has signed documents surrendering her parental rights.



Thursday, November 26, 2015

Foster kids drugged at a higher rate

Foster kids drugged at a higher rate

A growing number of lawmakers and advocates say the state of Georgia is drugging foster kids far too often. Nearly everyone agrees it's a huge problem but what can be done about it?

Kansas lobbyist concerned with state handling of foster care

Kansas lobbyist concerned with state handling of foster care

A lobbyist for a Kansas police association has expressed concerns over the way state social workers handle foster care.

Abused and in and out of foster homes, Laquan McDonald's tragic life

Abused and in and out of foster homes, Laquan McDonald's tragic life

In death, Laquan McDonald has countless defenders, people who want justice for him. They know him as the teenager in a police dashboard camera video who is seen walking away from a police officer who, in the span of 15 seconds, shoots him 16 times.

Social workers 'attempted cover up' in bid to keep five children in foster care

Social workers 'attempted cover up' in bid to keep five children in foster care

A judge has taken the extraordinary step of naming social workers who took part in an attempted “cover up” to keep five children from living with their parents.


Judge names social workers and recommends disciplinary investigation

Judge names social workers and recommends disciplinary investigation

A family court judge has named a social worker and her two managers, recommending their work and actions be investigated by their employers, Ofsted and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Flemish bishops apologize for forced adoptions

Flemish bishops apologize for forced adoptions

The bishops of the northern Belgian region of Flanders have asked forgiveness for the role of Catholic institutions in forcing unmarried women to give their children up for adoption during the 1960s and 1970s.

Utah dad says baby taken from him for adoption against his will

Utah dad says baby taken from him for adoption against his will

A new dad, just 20-years-old, said his baby daughter is being taken from him -- against his will -- in a Utah adoption case.

Federal lawsuit in Oklahoma accuses state Department of Human Services of wrongdoing

Federal lawsuit in Oklahoma accuses state Department of Human Services of wrongdoing

A state Department of Human Services supervisor is accused of ordering employees to warn a Delaware County couple — now criminally charged with multiple counts of child abuse — of upcoming home inspections, according to a federal lawsuit.

Family court report 'altered in social services cover-up'

Family court report 'altered in social services cover-up'

Social services staff asked to make decisions about the future of five children were involved in an attempted "cover-up", a family court judge has said.



Councilman and Wife Arrested for Allegedly Abusing 5 of the 16 Children in Their Care


Councilman and Wife Arrested for Allegedly Abusing 5 of the 16 Children in Their Care

A Kansas politician and his wife who were previously awarded for their efforts as adoptive parents were arrested and charged for abusing five of the 16 children in their care, officials said.



Prosecutors: Mother's journal entries confirm adopted daughter's abuse

Prosecutors: Mother's journal entries confirm adopted daughter's abuse

After Diana Franklin testified she never locked her adopted daughter in outbuildings on family property in Taylor County, prosecutors confronted her Friday with passages from her personal journals that seemed to contradict that.


Connecticut DCF foster mom charged with assaulting infant

Connecticut DCF foster mom charged with assaulting infant

A Connecticut foster mother with the state Department of Children and Families has been arraigned on charges she assaulted an infant placed in her care.

Concerns raised about reaching DCF social workers

Concerns raised about reaching DCF social workers

State social workers assigned to foster care children can be difficult to contact, supervisors also are sometimes unreachable and calls to a hotline to assist with problems may go unanswered, a top Kansas law enforcement representative says.


Child protection investigators “bullied” by dead girl’s mother

Child protection investigators “bullied” by dead girl’s mother

Child protection investigators with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office claim they felt “bullied, intimidated and physically threatened” by Keishanna Thomas.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

It’s OK to spank your kid, court rules

It’s OK to spank your kid, court rules

Spanking one’s child does not amount to abuse that warrants judicial intervention, at least as long as the child is not seriously injured or endangered, a state appeals court has ruled.


Dad in controversial abuse case to get out of jail early

Dad in controversial abuse case to get out of jail early

Joshua Burns' release from jail on on child abuse charges has been moved up four days, with the Brighton father also allowed two supervised "reunification sessions" with his young daughter.

DCF says child welfare system failed Janiya Thomas

DCF says child welfare system failed Janiya Thomas

Department of Children and Families officials have a blunt assessment of the child welfare system in the case of an 11-year-old Manatee County girl whose body was found in a freezer:

Obama administration released illegal immigrant children to criminals’ homes

Obama administration released illegal immigrant children to criminals’ homes

The Obama administration released thousands of illegal immigrant children to sponsors with criminal records, including arrests on charges of child molestation, human trafficking and homicide, a top senator charged Tuesday.



Child abuse trial for adoptive father could be postponed

Child abuse trial for adoptive father could be postponed

The quest for justice inches one step closer for a Taylor County teen who endured five years of abuse at the hands of her adopted mother.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Children's social services staff 'altered report'

Children's social services staff 'altered report'

Social services staff involved in deciding whether five children should remain in care altered a report about their parents, a judge has said.

Winnipeg adoptee surprises birth sister on Facebook

Winnipeg adoptee surprises birth sister on Facebook

"Your birth parents had one other child.....a baby girl named Angel."

That single sentence in a child welfare file gave Winnipeg adoptee Garrick Rokyta a new mission in life — to find an older sister he never knew existed.


‘Anonymous’ protests Child Protective Services

‘Anonymous’ protests Child Protective Services

Some protesters gathered in downtown Knoxville on Saturday night to voice their opinions on children’s services.

Consuming Marijuana During Pregnancy Does Not Make A Mother Unfit

Consuming Marijuana During Pregnancy Does Not Make A Mother Unfit

Since 1985 cigarette packages sold in the United States have carried four rotating warnings from the surgeon general, including this one: “Smoking by Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, and Low Birth Weight.” Since 1989 the labels of alcoholic beverages have included this government-mandated warning: “According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects.” This week the American Medical Association (AMA) proposed a similar label for cannabis products:  “Marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding poses potential harms.”

Mitchell: More than police bullets killed Laquan McDonald

Mitchell: More than police bullets killed Laquan McDonald

Laquan McDonald was more than another young African-American male who had the misfortune of crossing the path of a brutal Chicago cop.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Judge tosses battle for parental rights since no one involved lives in Utah

Judge tosses battle for parental rights since no one involved lives in Utah

A Colorado man's legal battle to gain parental rights for his son, who was born and adopted in Utah, has come to a halt because no one involved in the case lives here.


Judge forces mom to give her baby to homosexual couple: the latest case of surrogacy’s folly

Judge forces mom to give her baby to homosexual couple: the latest case of surrogacy’s folly

A convoluted custody dispute over an artificially conceived child has left the mother bereft and homosexual and Christian activists at loggerheads.

New report outlines management issues at DCF

New report outlines management issues at DCF

The state's Department of Children and Families is still suffering from a “weakened” management structure, outdated data and porous record-keeping, making it difficult to tell if, and how, the beleaguered agency is making strides, according to a new report released today.

Saskatchewan government says '60s Scoop apology in the works

Saskatchewan government says '60s Scoop apology in the works

The provincial government is hoping to meet with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) and Metis Nation-Saskatchewan next week to discuss an official apology to survivors of the ’60s Scoop.

Why Justice Scalia is Wrong about Parental Rights


Why Justice Scalia is Wrong about Parental Rights

HSLDA strongly rejects U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s recent comment that that there is no U.S. constitutional right of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children.

What happens to orphan refugees in America?

What happens to orphan refugees in America?

When asked in a recent interview whether he’d accepted Syrian orphans under the age of five to come to the United States as refugees, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said no.


'Inmates Unhappy at Government Homes for Kids'

'Inmates Unhappy at Government Homes for Kids'

A study on government children homes in Tamil Nadu reveals that 74 percent inmates are willing to return to their parents while 58 percent are staying put as they have no help outside. If sent out, the latter would end up in hotels or mechanic shops besides engaged in cleaning toilets or beg for livelihood.

How America's Child Support System Failed To Keep Up With The Times

How America's Child Support System Failed To Keep Up With The Times

When the U.S. child support collection system was set up in 1975 under President Gerald Ford — a child of divorce whose father failed to pay court-ordered child support — the country, and the typical family, looked very different from today.

Children flooding abuse helpline with calls in fear of terrorist attack after Paris atrocity

Children flooding abuse helpline with calls in fear of terrorist attack after Paris atrocity

Children as young as nine are so frightened they will be victims of a terrorist attack in the wake of the Paris atrocities that they have been ringing a special abuse helpline.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Family reunited after fight against child abuse charges

Family reunited after fight against child abuse charges

More than a year after a Bath father was accused of abusing his infant son, he and his wife have regained custody of their children after claiming he was wrongfully accused.

Mother testifying in child abuse case denies abusing adopted daughter

Mother testifying in child abuse case denies abusing adopted daughter

A lying and rebellious teen was how one local woman described her adopted daughter on Thursday, as a child abuse trial continued about an hour east of Columbus in Butler, GA.

Children Sleeping In Arkansas DHS Offices Because Of Foster Care Challenges

Children Sleeping In Arkansas DHS Offices Because They're Taking Too Many Kids Of Foster Care Challenges

Caseworkers in Arkansas’ foster care system are overworked to the point that they quickly burn out, an area director for the Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services told a legislative panel Wednesday.

Family drug courts with parenting programs yield better reunification rates, researchers say


Families who had children removed from the home due to parental substance abuse were more than twice as likely to be reunified when they took part in a family drug court that incorporated two innovative evidence-based parenting programs, when compared with those who took part in regular child welfare courts, a University of Kansas study has found. The success of the program has led KU researchers to partner with the state of Oklahoma in securing a new, $1.2 million grant to take the program to a new location, all with the goal of safely reunifying families involved in foster care.

Department of Labor orders foster care firm to pay $218,000 in back wages and fines

Department of Labor orders foster care firm to pay $218,000 in back wages and fines

The U.S. Department of Labor ordered a Phoenix foster-care housing provider on Wednesday to pay more than $218,000 in back wages, interest and fines for unpaid overtime owed to workers.


Family court critics may have hidden Minnesota girls missing for 2 years

Family court critics may have hidden Minnesota girls missing for 2 years

Two teenage sisters found safe in Minnesota after disappearing two years ago may have been kept in hiding by an advocacy group critical of family courts that award custody to abusive parents.

State lawmakers told of problems in foster care system

State lawmakers told of problems in foster care system

Caseworkers in Arkansas’ foster care system are overworked to the point that they quickly burn out, an area director for the Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services told a legislative panel Wednesday.

Another View: Reject short-sighted child abuse list bills

Another View: Reject short-sighted child abuse list bills

Michigan made a big mistake in adopting a broad sex offender registry, one that can't distinguish between a bona fide predator and a teenager who had consensual relations with his girlfriend. It should not compound that error by adopting a similar permanent list of those convicted of child abuse.


Caseworker errors found after deaths of 8 children

Caseworker errors found after deaths of 8 children

When Michael Welch sits down for dinner with his son and daughter, there's one constant reminder of the struggle they've endured the past year.

False Allegations of Abuse Target Men in Divorce

False Allegations of Abuse Target Men in Divorce

Divorce is almost never a simple process, and the introduction of protection orders or allegations of abuse instantly increase the complexity of the case, particularly for the purported offender.
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Once an order of protection is issued, the complexion of a divorce case is immediately altered. Oftentimes, these are filed as a way to force the father out of the home and away from his children to give the mother an edge in obtaining custody.


State employees union requests police protection for Vermont DCF workers

State employees union requests police protection for Vermont DCF workers

The union representing most Vermont state employees is asking the Legislature to address the security threat social workers at the Department for Children and Families now face.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Kansas Foster Care System Under State Scrutiny

Kansas Foster Care System Under State Scrutiny

Kansas lawmakers are scrutinizing the state’s foster care system. As Heartland Health Monitor’s Jim McLean reports, the review was prompted by reports about children who died in the system.

Noah’s Ark accused of helping itself instead of children


When the Noah’s Ark Children’s Care home opened its doors in the early 1990s, it did so as a residential group home with the mission of providing a “a nurturing environment” for “state-confiscated children,” according to IRS filings.


Kansas senator wants state to pay more to married, heterosexual foster parents

Kansas senator wants state to pay more to married, heterosexual foster parents

Sen. Forrest Knox plans to revive a bill he pushed last year that would reward more money to foster parents who are in long-term heterosexual marriages.

Mother Who Used Medical Cannabis to Treat Deadly Disease Had Her Son Taken Away, Faces 28 Years in Prison

Mother Who Used Medical Cannabis to Treat Deadly Disease Had Her Son Taken Away, Faces 28 Years in Prison

You don't want to be a medical marijuana patient in Kansas. You could face, arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, and the loss of your children. Just ask Shona Banda, who endured the latest chapter of her ordeal Monday.

Council not responsible for foster carers’ abuse of a child, finds Court of Appeal

Council not responsible for foster carers’ abuse of a child, finds Court of Appeal

A council was not responsible for the historic physical and sexual abuse of a child at the hands of her foster carers, the Court of Appeal has found.


Charlie Baker vows ‘end-to-end’ DCF reform

Charlie Baker vows ‘end-to-end’ DCF reform

Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled a slate of overhauled policies for the state’s beleaguered child welfare department yesterday, eliminating the two-tiered track that divided cases by perceived risk, mandating background checks for the first time and requiring monthly reviews of all cases.

B.C. legislature breaks after fierce child-welfare, secrecy debates

B.C. legislature breaks after fierce child-welfare, secrecy debates

Fierce debates over child-welfare policies and the government's practice of deleting potentially sensitive emails dominated the fall session at British Columbia's legislature.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Babies switched at birth will not be returned to their biological family

Babies switched at birth will not be returned to their biological family

For three years the parents of “Girl M” and “Boy Z” had little idea they were nurturing one another’s children.


DCF plans to lower evidence standard in evaluating child abuse

DCF plans to lower evidence standard in evaluating child abuse

The state agency tasked with investigating child abuse plans to lower the amount of evidence needed to substantiate a claim of abuse or neglect.

Gov. Brown Orders Independent Review Of Oregon's Foster Care Oversight

Gov. Brown Orders Independent Review Of Oregon's Foster Care Oversight

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown wants an independent review of the state’s foster care system. It comes after the Willamette Week newspaper reported that the Oregon Department of Human Services ignored warning signs at a prominent foster care provider in Portland.


Tupelo social worker charged with kidnapping juveniles

Tupelo social worker charged with kidnapping juveniles

A Tupelo woman is facing multiple felony charges after police say she kidnapped two children from the Gulf Coast.

Utah Judge Who Ordered That Foster Child be Taken from Lesbian Couple Removes Himself From Case

Utah Judge Who Ordered That Foster Child be Taken from Lesbian Couple Removes Himself From Case

A Utah judge has removed himself from the case of a lesbian couple hoping to adopt a foster child after ordering last week that the 9-month old be taken from the couple's home because he believed it was "not in the best interest of children to be raised by same-sex couples."

Year after caseworker stabbing, N.J. lawmakers OK child welfare safety bill

Year after caseworker stabbing, N.J. lawmakers OK child welfare safety bill

One year after the near-fatal attack on a case worker, a state Assembly committee approved a bill Monday that would require police officers to be stationed inside state child welfare offices.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Change in how DCYF certifies foster families creates backlog

Change in how DCYF certifies foster families creates backlog

The state Department of Children, Youth and Families is making big changes to its process for evaluating families who want to become foster and adoptive parents.

Why me? A story of forced adoption in Australia

Why me? A story of forced adoption in Australia

It’s a period of Australian history shrouded in shame and secrecy. But what actually happened to the children who had been taken away from their young, unmarried mothers?

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Court restores Sandusky's $4,900 monthly pension, with interest, after conviction

Court restores Sandusky's $4,900 monthly pension, with interest, after conviction

Dottie Sandusky, wife of convicted child sex abuser and former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 she's pleased that Commonwealth Court has ordered that her husband's state pension be restored.

Former Arizona Child Welfare Workers Appeal Ruling Dismissing Wrongful Termination Suit



Former Arizona Child Welfare Workers Appeal Ruling Dismissing Wrongful Termination Suit

Five former Arizona child welfare workers who were fired last year amid an agency scandal are appealing a judge's ruling that threw out their wrongful termination lawsuit.

Is Texas Denying Health Coverage to Foster Youth?


The final weeks of 2014 were a stressful time for Jasmine Johnson, then a 20-year-old expectant mother who was moving to Conroe after attending business management school in Brenham. Unbeknownst to Johnson, they were also the final weeks of her Medicaid health coverage.


Settlement approved in class-action lawsuit by former Alberta foster children

Settlement approved in class-action lawsuit by former Alberta foster children

An application for a settlement was granted Friday in a class-action lawsuit by former foster children who were victims of child abuse and other crimes.

Note: My dear dear friend Velvet Martin doesn't think this is a good idea.  Below is her response...

Opposition to Class Action Proposal:

Primarily, terms do not reflect the original intent of the Class Action that victims engaged in at the outset. Common, relevant issues are lost and remain unsolved. Whether the Department had a duty to adhere to its own Policy and seek to secure compensation from its employees (foster parents) on behalf of children remains unanswered. Under proposed conditions, the Department seeks to absolve itself from responding to questions of liability. Focus is now narrowly keyed towards failure of authorities to help children apply for Victims of Crime Compensation.

I am deeply concerned that personal rights will become void under proposed settlement agreement. Clarification about freedom of speech and ability to sue for damages other than outlined, continues to be vague. If the settlement intends to muzzle victims from publicly disclosing personal stories, it is contrary to ethics. Victims must not be further repressed by having their stories taken away too. Speech is largely what identifies us as individuals and provides generational healing; dismissing the right is beneficial to the whole of Society. We need only look to dark history of Residential Schools and sterilization practices to realize that history must be told to prevent recurrence.

The Notice which was issued and hearing happened rapidly and most individuals affected were only alerted word-of-mouth. There are many victims who may yet be unaware that the settlement was at a hearing stage. I'm told a notification was issued in a newspaper, I personally was unable to locate an ad. The Notice fails to consider victims who lack reading skills or access to a computer. More time was required to alert potential members and to have conditions adequately explained.

How does the current proposal benefit victims? It seems that the settlement requires plaintiffs to agree to many conditions, but offers little compensation in return to most. In fact, the figure of compensation is unknown. How can anybody possibly agree or disagree to terms that are completely vague? Victims, have waited years for resolution and suddenly are expected to agree to conditions that most do not understand because key pieces of information are missing.

 Apparently members are entitled to seek crimes compensation without needing to be part of a class action so how does the suit benefit victims? Why is counsel charging a 10% fee for a service that is already available to the public?

CANLII 2013 ABCA 211 indicates 4000 applicants may potentially come forward. A span of 42 years to contend with, victims from 1996-2008. The number of persons wronged may be astronomical, yet personal recovery is narrowly limited.

Size of Kansas foster care population up 18 percent

Size of Kansas foster care population up 18 percent

The size of Kansas’ foster care population has swelled 18 percent over the past six years, and child welfare advocates blame high turnover among caseworkers, parental drug addiction and cuts to programs that help poor families.


Saturday, November 14, 2015

Fired Miami social worker gets 1 1/2 years in prison for extorting families of refugee children



Fired Miami social worker gets 1 1/2 years in prison for extorting families of refugee children

As a newly hired employee for a Miami social services agency, Leslie Rubero Padilla’s job was to reunite unaccompanied refugee children with their parents or legal guardians in the United States.

She was supposed to charge the families only for transportation, such as airfare. But authorities say Rubero shook down more than a dozen of them by insisting they had to send her additional money or the reunification with their children would be delayed — or, worse, they would be deported back to their native country in Central America.

Court of Appeal rules on liability of councils for foster care abuse

Court of Appeal rules on liability of councils for foster care abuse

The Court of Appeal has handed down a key ruling on the liability of councils for foster care abuse, concluding that local authorities do not owe a child in such care a non-delegable duty.

Fired child-welfare workers appeal court ruling

Fired child-welfare workers appeal court ruling

From the more things change, the more they stay the same file: The fight over the firing of five child-safety workers two years ago has moved to a higher level with a filing late Thursday with the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Judge approves settlement in Alberta child welfare lawsuit

Judge approves settlement in Alberta child welfare lawsuit

A class-action lawsuit by Albertans abused while in the care of the provincial child welfare system has been officially settled, after a judge approved financial terms Friday that will provide most successful claimants $15,000 to $30,000 in compensation.


Utah judge reverses decision to remove baby from lesbian foster parents

Utah judge reverses decision to remove baby from lesbian foster parents

A Utah judge reversed his decision to take a baby away from her lesbian foster parents and place her with a heterosexual couple after the ruling led to widespread backlash.

Man convicted in Kenyan orphanage case asks for new US judge

Man convicted in Kenyan orphanage case asks for new US judge

An attorney for an Oklahoma man convicted of sexually abusing children at a Kenyan orphanage has asked a federal judge to disqualify himself from deciding the man's motions to overturn his conviction and grant a new trial.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Protect adopted children with the ‘re-homing’ bill

Protect adopted children with the ‘re-homing’ bill

ADOPTION IS usually an arduous process, in part to ensure that parents are not only able to welcome a child into their home, but are also committed to building a family. That’s why it is hard to believe that some parents who adopt children actually change their minds and want to give them away. Even harder to believe is that, in some cases, it’s perfectly legal to transfer custody of adopted kids to someone else with little to no legal oversight. That’s why the Massachusetts Senate introduced and approved a measure that criminalizes the practice, known as “re-homing.” The House should move swiftly to pass the bill as well.


Number of foster children doubles in Regina over past year

Number of foster children doubles in Regina over past year

CTV News has learned the number of foster children in Regina has doubled in the past year, while the number of foster homes has declined.

This weeks media circus story: Family Court Judge Removes Baby From Foster Parents...Because They're Lesbians

Family Court Judge Removes Baby From Foster Parents...Because They're Lesbians

April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce of Carbon County said the baby they've loved and raised for the last three months will be removed from their home and sent to heterosexual foster parents because a judge said the baby would be better-off.

In Response To Bella Bond Investigation, Baker Expects To Roll Out New DCF Policies By Thanksgiving

In Response To Bella Bond Investigation, Baker Expects To Roll Out New DCF Policies By Thanksgiving

After negotiations with SEIU 509—the union that represents social workers in Massachusetts—Governor Charlie Baker expects to release updated and reformed intake and supervisory policies for the Department of Children and Families, he told Boston Public Radio Thursday.


Emotional abuse or reasonable parenting? Federal jury asked to decide

Emotional abuse or reasonable parenting? Federal jury asked to decide

A Port Washington couple whose daughter and adopted son were removed from their custody in 2010 want a federal jury in Milwaukee to award them damages for what their lawyer called "a classic case of big government interfering with the rights of a family."

Children in Crisis: Child Welfare In The Ocean State

Children in Crisis: Child Welfare In The Ocean State

Children in Crisis is a radio and online series exploring Rhode Island's troubled child welfare system. Stories investigate what's broken, how children and families are affected, and what's being done to fix the system.


Thursday, November 12, 2015

Harsh realities for Georgia youths who age out of foster care

Harsh realities for Georgia youths who age out of foster care

There are thousands of Georgians in foster care, and hundreds age out of the system without finding a forever home.


DR. PHIL [NOVEMBER 10, 2015]: CUSTODY BATTLE: POISON IN ICE CREAM, CHILD WRAPPED IN GARBAGE BAG

The most common reason for a false accusation of child abuse is one parent trying to get the upper hand in a custody battle.  And this dumb bitch wants CPS involved so that she can try to use them to her advantage against the father.

Usually I think Dr Phil is full of shit but he got it right this time.



DR. PHIL [NOVEMBER 10, 2015]: CUSTODY BATTLE: POISON IN ICE CREAM, CHILD WRAPPED IN GARBAGE BAG

Dr. Phil offers polygraph and drug tests to Joey and his ex-wife, Sandra, who accuses him of abuse, neglect and inappropriate conduct with their two young daughters.

Foster mom gets 10 years in Virginia Beach infant's death


For the first seven months of his life, Braxton Taylor thrived.

Born to a drug-addicted mother whose other children were already living among relatives, Braxton went to live with longtime foster parents Ben and Sarah Fitzpatrick when he was 3 days old.

Report: Utah Judge Orders Child Removed from Home of Same-Sex Parents

Report: Utah Judge Orders Child Removed from Home of Same-Sex Parents

Today, in response to reports that a juvenile court judge in Utah has ordered a child removed from the home of her married foster parents because they are a same-sex couple, Chad Griffin, President of HRC, released the following statement:

Council offers record £15k bonus to children’s social workers

Council offers record £15k bonus to children’s social workers

West Berkshire has offered a record £15k bonus to children’s social workers who stay with the council for more than three years, following an inadequate Ofsted judgement.


Adoptive daughter testifies in day 2 of chicken coop child abuse case

Adoptive daughter testifies in day 2 of chicken coop child abuse case

Troubling allegations of unsanitary living conditions, beatings, and food deprivation continued to emerge Wednesday in a Taylor County trial.

Southwest Ohio nurse sentenced for failing to report child abuse

Southwest Ohio nurse sentenced for failing to report child abuse

An Ohio prosecutor says a former nurse has been sentenced to jail time, community service and probation for failure to report child abuse or neglect in the 2011 case of an emaciated teen who died.

NEW SANDUSKY CHILD-ABUSE ACCUSER STEPS FORWARD

NEW SANDUSKY CHILD-ABUSE ACCUSER STEPS FORWARD

You didn't even have to be a college football fan to experience the shock when revered Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted of sexually abusing 10 young boys.

Added security for Vermont social workers

Added security for Vermont social workers

Security upgrades will need to be made to the Washington County Courthouse before social workers can move in.

Note: It must suck to have earned so much bad karma from stealing babies that they have to live in constant fear of their own shadows.

Girl Attacks Case Worker with Stick, Throws Spit and Rock at Police

Girl Attacks Case Worker with Stick, Throws Spit and Rock at Police

A Newport police officer endured racial slurs and being spat on by a white 15-year-old girl who was arrested for felony assault after she attacked a group home case worker with a large stick on Sunday.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Mother accused of locking child in shed for weeks

Mother accused of locking child in shed for weeks

Starved and locked up for weeks in a hot shed during the summer are just some of the horrors a teen allegedly endured while in the custody of her adopted parents back in 2012.

Lawmakers say Minnesota is not putting child safety first in abuse cases

Lawmakers say Minnesota is not putting child safety first in abuse cases

Minnesota legislators who crafted legislation earlier this year to make sure a child's safety is first priority in abuse cases say the state is not following through with that requirement.

Foster dad who took in 50 children with his wife is jailed for abusing girls in his care

Foster dad who took in 50 children with his wife is jailed for abusing girls in his care


A foster father who admitted for a second time abusing youngsters in his care, including a young girl with learning difficulties, has been handed a three-year sentence.

Why is San Francisco exporting its foster youth?

Why is San Francisco exporting its foster youth?

More than 20% of California's foster youth are sent to placements across county lines, restricting their access to mental health care and other services.  Join host Joseph Pace Monday for a discussion of this and other challenges facing out state's foster youth.

Child protection reforms strain Minnesota's foster care system

Child protection reforms strain Minnesota's foster care system

Minnesota’s renewed effort to stop child abuse and neglect is straining the foster care system, a refuge for children removed from their homes.


Police seek help regarding threats to foster parents

Police seek help regarding threats to foster parents

Noble County Crime stoppers is asking for your help in solving a case involving death threats to foster parents of a young Noble County child. On May 13, 2014, the foster father received a phone call threatening harm to him over caring for the child. Then on April 17, 2015, the foster mother received death threats via text message and was stalked in person while at the Home Depot at 7723 Lima Road in Fort Wayne.

Jail for foster father who abused girls

Jail for foster father who abused girls

A Dromore foster father who admitted for a second time abusing youngsters in his care, including a young girl with learning difficulties, was handed a three-year sentence yesterday (Monday).


The Dark Side of Adoption

The Dark Side of Adoption

In the midst of all the happily-ever-after media coverage of adoption, now that it's November, and National Adoption Month (NAM), it's incumbent upon us to look at adoption realistically and even critically. The fact is that most adoptions are not saintly acts of altruism but simply the fulfillment of the adopters' hopes and dreams. That means that adoption, adoptive parents, and adoptive families are as imperfect as any others among us. And sometimes more so.

Reading social worker speaks out on staff exodus and falling standards

Reading social worker speaks out on staff exodus and falling standards

A Reading Borough Council whistle blower has spoken out on what they call "dropping standards" in the social work sector, saying high caseloads and "a lot of pressure" have caused many to quit.


Parents Should Think Twice Before Engaging in a Custody Battle Over Their Children

Parents Should Think Twice Before Engaging in a Custody Battle Over Their Children

When parents engage in custody battles over their children, they do so under the guise that it is in their children's best interest, but is that generally true? Please don't misunderstand, I am not suggesting that parents don't sincerely believe that what they want is in the best interest of their children. I am, however, suggesting that not all beliefs are fact based, regardless of how sincerely held such beliefs may be. According to Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, "Much of today's legal disputes are about what I call Emotional Facts - emotionally-generated false information accepted as true and appearing to require emergency legal action."

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

LAWS ON 'FORCED ADOPTION' CAUSE CONTROVERSY IN EUROPE, SAYS LEADING JUDGE

LAWS ON 'FORCED ADOPTION' CAUSE CONTROVERSY IN EUROPE, SAYS LEADING JUDGE

A leading judge says he is "acutely conscious" of concerns voiced in parts of Europe about the "forced adoption" of children in England and Wales.


Paula Simons: Settlement for abused Alberta foster children barely a symbolic victory

Paula Simons: Settlement for abused Alberta foster children barely a symbolic victory

A proposed class-action settlement for current and former foster children who were victims of child abuse and other crimes could cost Alberta more than $20 million.


Couple cleared of child abuse with bone disorder defense

Couple cleared of child abuse with bone disorder defense

Perhaps the only thing less resilient than the bones of a seven-week old is the public's goodwill when someone is accused of child abuse.

New Fathers 4 Justice campaigner receives final warning against climbing Chris Grayling's roof

New Fathers 4 Justice campaigner receives final warning against climbing Chris Grayling's roof

Prolific New Fathers 4 Justice campaigner Martin Matthews claims police have told him if he climbs Chris Grayling’s roof for a seventh time, he will face prosecution for harassment.

16 year old girl ‘defiled’ by foster father seeks justice

16 year old girl ‘defiled’ by foster father seeks justice 

A 16-year-old girl from Kiambaa Constituency is seeking justice after she was allegedly defiled by her foster father, whom she claimed used a sleep-inducing drug before committing the act.

N.J. has a long way to go before court supervision of Child Protective Services should end | Opinion

N.J. has a long way to go before court supervision of Child Protective Services should end | Opinion

Last week, the Christie administration put out a notice that it had negotiated a deal with the federal court monitor supervising the Department of Children and Families child welfare reform. Gov. Chris Christie and DCF Commissioner Allison Blake claim the deal gave them an exit plan to get out from court supervision. However, the state still isn't ready for court supervision to end.


B.C. government agencies to review foster children in hotels

B.C. government agencies to review foster children in hotels

Nearly two months after a teenager died falling out an Abbotsford hotel window, the province will review how many foster children are living in hotels and the history of the crisis-driven practice.

Adoption and child protection: are councils misusing a key part of the law?

Adoption and child protection: are councils misusing a key part of the law?

Contested adoptions in which children are permanently removed from parents desperate to keep them may be the most controversial aspect of state intervention in family life. But social services’ apparent misuse of section 20 of the 1989 Children Act, under which a council looks after a child in foster or residential care after getting parental consent, may now be coming a close second.

Unbroken: Jacksonville family reunited after abuse claim

Unbroken: Jacksonville family reunited after abuse claim

When Brooke Bornhorst and Will Meade were arrested in June 2014, social media lit up, calling for the Jacksonville couple to be jailed, tortured and even executed.

Monday, November 09, 2015

Record number of children in state care without a social worker in South Australia

Record number of children in state care without a social worker in South Australia

A RECORD number of children in state care are without a dedicated social worker, as under-resourcing of Families SA continues to bite.

Law makes foster kids a target: advocate

Law makes foster kids a target: advocate

A child protection advocate says children in foster care are being left exposed by the legislation designed to protect them.

We have too many kids in care — and it’s not getting better

We have too many kids in care — and it’s not getting better

What happens to kids who authorities determine can’t live safely with their own parents or caregivers? Thousands of Canadian children are in this situation right now. Many go into foster homes, while others go into other types of out-of-home care on behalf of child welfare agencies. But we don’t know how many, nor do we know how well they are doing.

Sandusky sex abuse case continues to have impact on Penn State community four years later

Sandusky sex abuse case continues to have impact on Penn State community four years later

Four years ago today, late Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno was fired.

Since then, the Penn State community, from students to alumni, has been rocked by the allegations that preempted the firing and resulted in former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky’s imprisonment.

Quebec adoptees turn to social media to discover origins

Quebec adoptees turn to social media to discover origins

Julie Levenhagen was known only as "baby Agathe" when she was adopted from a Montreal hospital at nine days old.


Sunday, November 08, 2015

DSS screens out child abuse reports that don’t merit investigation

DSS screens out child abuse reports that don’t merit investigation

The South Carolina social services agency received more than 1,300 allegations of “out-of-home” child abuse and neglect last year, but its team of investigators opened fewer than 400 investigations, new data shows.


Saturday, November 07, 2015

DCF seen trying for custody of more kids

DCF seen trying for custody of more kids

DCF sought custody of an increasing number of children in September, records show — a surge in court cases that union leaders called a panic move by child welfare bosses under fire after a summer that saw two kids under state watch die and two others left seriously injured.

Canada has one of the highest rates of kids in care in the world

Canada has one of the highest rates of kids in care in the world

A more "family welfare" rather than "child safety" approach could help reduce child poverty and family violence.

Arizona foster care is still broken

Arizona foster care is still broken

My Turn: We've decided that foster care is a law-enforcement matter rather than the social-services problem it is.

Indigenous mother seeks justice for 4-year-old son who died in Alberta foster care system

Indigenous mother seeks justice for 4-year-old son who died in Alberta foster care system

With her head turned down and her hand on her brow, Crystal Carifelle took a deep breath and said she’s barely been able to cope since losing her son seven years ago.

Friday, November 06, 2015

There was ‘systematic abuse’ in children’s homes, says commission chairman

There was ‘systematic abuse’ in children’s homes, says commission chairman

Dozens of people who say they were abused while living with foster families or in children’s homes have contacted a government commission investigating child social services.


Saiki plans to 'deeply' investigate DHS

Saiki plans to 'deeply' investigate DHS

Clyde Saiki, interim director of the Oregon Department of Human Services, said he plans to "get things stabilized" at the agency and investigate "deeply" into the circumstances that allowed a foster care provider to continue operating despite substantiated claims of abuse.


Haiti officials shut down boys' orphanage founded by US man amid molestation allegations

Haiti officials shut down boys' orphanage founded by US man amid molestation allegations

Haitian authorities on Thursday closed an orphanage for boys founded three decades ago by a U.S. citizen facing accusations he sexually abused children in his care.

Committee urged to 'dig deeper' into child protection agency

Committee urged to 'dig deeper' into child protection agency

Families, attorneys and former caseworkers urged the Legislative Audit Committee to dig deeper into the activities of the Division of Child and Family Services after an audit found issues with inadequate documentation, inconsistent investigations and an antiquated computer system.

Ex-child services worker charged for incest with minor

Ex-child services worker charged for incest with minor

A Whitehall man has been charged with committing incest with a minor while working for the Child and Family Services Division of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in Helena.


Judge: No new trial for dad convicted of child abuse

Judge: No new trial for dad convicted of child abuse

A Brighton father convicted of abusing his then-infant daughter was denied a new trial Thursday.


Acting Oregon DHS director removed after foster care report

Acting Oregon DHS director removed after foster care report

Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced Wednesday the acting director of the Department of Human Services was removed in the wake of a scathing report in Willamette Week.

Thursday, November 05, 2015

Attorney: Baby was taken from mother for ‘microscopic’ amount of marijuana

Attorney: Baby was taken from mother for ‘microscopic’ amount of marijuana

The attorney representing a former Lorain woman whose newborn daughter was taken from her under an emergency custody ruling after “microscopic” amounts of medicinal marijuana tea used by the mother for pain and nausea in pregnancy were found in the baby’s urine sample said he plans to appeal the decision.

Tarr backs re-homing bill that targets 'black market' for children

Tarr backs re-homing bill that targets 'black market' for children

Senators backing a bill that would establish penalties for transferring adopted children into new homes outside of the legal system expect the measure, which they described as a way to protect children from a form of human trafficking, to pass the Senate this week.


State's Attorney: "I Received Threats After DCF Shooting"

State's Attorney: "I Received Threats After DCF Shooting"

During a Child Protection Oversight Committee hearing Thursday, Washington County State's Attorney Scott Williams says he has received threats after Vermont Department of Children and Families Worker Lara Sobel was shot and killed in August.

Quote's of the day from CPS loving assholes...

To demonstrate how arrogant some people are, I offer you the following commentary in regards to comments from an online news article.

So on the following article entitled...
Motorist finds toddler wandering along Church Hill street a half-mile from home
Which was about a little one who escaped, and the police's lack of satisfaction to the mothers response, I observed the following comment by a reader named Rebecca Derrick whose Discus Profile can be viewed by clicking here.

"That is so sorry, their are people that would love her baby with all of their heart and she could care less bless the little baby please god"
And here's another that was posted as a reply.

"You are so right. My husband and I would love to adopt but it is hard once you reach your 40's. So many women have children and care more about themselves than they do about the child. I am not judging this woman. I don't know her or enough about the situation, just speaking in generalities."
And here's a third...
"That's one sorry excuse for a mother/parent.....hope she gets a lot of time...maybe she won't be one of these mothers that keep getting their child back after having them taken over stuff like this"
I warn you all against jumping to conclusions.  This sort of thing can happen to anybody, and you don't know this mothers story.


Emails Show Top State Managers Ignored Serious Warning Signs That a Foster Care Provider Was Neglecting Kids


State emails show that top officials in the Oregon Department of Human Services knew about neglected children and serious financial problems at Portland foster care provider Give Us This Day—and did nothing for nearly 19 months.


Province reaches proposed deal in Alberta child-welfare lawsuit

Province reaches proposed deal in Alberta child-welfare lawsuit

A tentative $7.5-million settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit involving children who were abused while in the Alberta child welfare system.

Judge approves N.J. child welfare reform plan that could end federal oversight

Judge approves N.J. child welfare reform plan that could end federal oversight

Recognizing that New Jersey's child welfare system has made vast improvements after being "one of the worst" in the nation, a judge Wednesday approved a scaled-down plan aimed at ending federal oversight that's lasted for a dozen years.

Gov replaces human services chief amid foster care turmoil

Gov replaces human services chief amid foster care turmoil

Gov. Kate Brown has announced a leadership change and independent review of the Oregon Department of Human Services.

18-year-old in foster care wants to own gun, but state won't let him

18-year-old in foster care wants to own gun, but state won't let him

An 18-year-old in foster care is fighting for his right to own a firearm after the state denied his Second Amendment right to bear arms.

DHS to Tighten Reporting Regulations on Foster Care Shelter Emergency Calls

DHS to Tighten Reporting Regulations on Foster Care Shelter Emergency Calls

KARK is Working 4 You speaking with the Department of Human Services about changes in regulations it is working to push forward regarding what emergency foster care shelters need to report regarding calls to law enforcement and runaway incidents for kids in their care. 

The Time Jeb Bush Hired a Spanking Proponent to Run His Troubled Child Welfare Agency

The Time Jeb Bush Hired a Spanking Proponent to Run His Troubled Child Welfare Agency

It was 2002, Gov. Jeb Bush was up for reelection, and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) was in chaos. News had recently broken that a five-year-old Miami girl in state care had disappeared—and no one had noticed her absence for more than a year. Police had recently found a child welfare worker passed out drunk in her car with a kid in the back seat. A two-year-old boy was beaten to death on the same day a caseworker claimed to have visited him. The department head had quit amid a series of controversies. Bush needed a replacement, one that signaled that he had a plan to restore order to the scandal-plagued agency. But his choice to fill the job, Jerry Regier, a Christian conservative culture warrior who had served in Bush’s father’s presidential administration, soon landed in a controversy of his own involving spanking.


Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Breaking: Police say Network of Family Court Critics Is Hiding the Rucki Girls



Breaking: Police say Network of Family Court Critics Is Hiding the Rucki Girls

A story in the StarTribune is one of the first to link the Family Court Critics to the “protective parent” movement that police believe are responsible for hiding the Samantha and Gianna Rucki, the two teenager girls from Lakeville, Minnesota.

Illegal home invasion by New Jersey CPS could cost taxpayers $60 million

Illegal home invasion by New Jersey CPS could cost taxpayers $60 million

When a New Jersey social worker showed up unexpectedly at the home of Christopher and Nicole Zimmer and demanded entry to question them and their son, Chris, about the boy's homeschooling, the Zimmers weren't sure how to react.

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

Philadelphia DHS accused of not properly screening foster parents

Philadelphia DHS accused of not properly screening foster parents

Two sisters who allegedly were sexually molested by their foster father filed suit against the agencies and individuals who placed them into the foster home, and later recommended the girls be adopted by the foster parents.

Crowder approves $100,000 settlement in wrongful death suit against foster mother

Crowder approves $100,000 settlement in wrongful death suit against foster mother

Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder approved a $100,000 settlement on Oct. 16 in a lawsuit against a foster mother alleging a girl died while in her care.

Abuse Claims Report: Whistleblower to receive ‘extracts’ of foster home investigation

Abuse Claims Report: Whistleblower to receive ‘extracts’ of foster home investigation

A whistleblower who made claims of horrific sexual and physical abuse at a foster home in the Waterford area over a twenty-year period is to receive extracts from a HSE- commissioned report into the allegations, THREE YEARS after it was completed.


SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS WARNED OVER 'MISUSE AND ABUSE' OF SHORT-TERM PLACEMENTS

SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS WARNED OVER 'MISUSE AND ABUSE' OF SHORT-TERM PLACEMENTS

The most senior family court judge in England and Wales has told social services bosses that "misuse and abuse" of legislative provisions aimed at providing short-term accommodation to children who need a safe home "must stop".

Aspiring child welfare workers at N.J. college warned job has risks

Aspiring child welfare workers at N.J. college warned job has risks

Most parents fear the knock on the door from a child welfare caseworker.

Note: And stealing babies pisses parents off and makes them want to kill you.

Ex-social worker faces more criminal charges


A former state social worker charged with making false child abuse complaints against her Elizabethtown neighbors now faces additional charges she made false abuse complaints against two people in Grayson County — one the husband of her longtime best friend and the other the pastor at the local Baptist church she attended.


Couple trying to get back custody of baby after mom used form of medical marijuana

Couple trying to get back custody of baby after mom used form of medical marijuana

A local mom thought she had made the best decision for her baby while in utero by choosing medicinal marijuana to treat extreme sickness and pain, but now she and her husband have lost custody of the infant.

Monday, November 02, 2015

Councils forced to speed up early adoption schemes and draft merger plans by 2017

Councils forced to speed up early adoption schemes and draft merger plans by 2017

Under new legislative powers announced today (2 November), Whitehall will be able to intervene to ensure all councils have plans to join regional adoption agencies by 2017 so that all services are merged by the end of the decade.

Methadone Mom has arraignment in court

Methadone Mom has arraignment in court

Anna Highland, mother of the boy who nearly died after he got a hold of his mother's liquid methadone, was absent for her arraignment in court on Monday, Nov. 2nd.

Note: The article says that she was a foster mom.

Ministers approve bill canceling automatic custody for mothers of young children

Ministers approve bill canceling automatic custody for mothers of young children

A proposal to put the good of the child first in custody cases received Ministerial Committee for Legislation authorization Sunday.

Philip Davies MP: 'Political correctness is damaging men'

Philip Davies MP: 'Political correctness is damaging men'

Philip Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley, found himself at the centre of a raging gender storm last week, when he suggested that men’s issues should be discussed in Parliament on International Men’s Day, November 19th.

Note:  This is why the issue of fathers getting cut out of kids lives doesn't get discussed nearly enough.

Sunday, November 01, 2015

Fifth of looked after children placed in children’s homes judged adequate or worse

Fifth of looked after children placed in children’s homes judged adequate or worse

Ofsted has published information about the characteristics, including age, gender and ethnicity, of all children looked after on 31 March 2014.

Pennsylvania Won’t Disclose Names of Doctors Prescribing in Youth Corrections

Pennsylvania Won’t Disclose Names of Doctors Prescribing in Youth Corrections

Pennsylvania defied an Office of Open Records ruling and took the matter to court to conceal the names of doctors prescribing to kids confined in its six correctional facilities.

Mum's desperate 30-year search for sons 'forcibly adopted' by Birmingham social services

Mum's desperate 30-year search for sons 'forcibly adopted' by Birmingham social services

A heartbroken mum has revealed how she has spent more than 30 years searching for her two sons after they were allegedly forcibly adopted by Birmingham social services.


Spread of surrogacy cases is a national shame

Spread of surrogacy cases is a national shame

The alarming spread of surrogacy cases in poor India is a glaring national shame. Indian surrogacy has crossed $ 400 million a year. Besides being a ruthless commercial activity, surrogacy is a violation of human rights of the ill-informed, illiterate dalit and tribal women of India. The surrogate mother is considered ‘a mechanical carrier’ and her womb a commodity.