To get mental health help for a child, some FL parents resort to giving up custody of their child

What happens when a parent has done nothing wrong but feels they have no other choice but to give up custody of their child to an already overwhelmed state child welfare system?

One Florida father, who we’re not identifying by name, first shared his story with us back in December.

More >> To get mental health help for a child, some FL parents resort to giving up custody of their child

'STOP THAT KID YELLING' Mum of autistic boy, 7, finds furious note from neighbour threatening to report her to social services

THE mother of an autistic boy woke up in the New Year to find a furious note from her neighbour threatening to report her to social services if her son didn't stop yelling.

Solo mum-of-three Ana Gray, 28, found the note in the letter box of her home in Napier, New Zealand.

More >> 'STOP THAT KID YELLING' Mum of autistic boy, 7, finds furious note from neighbour threatening to report her to social services

Regulations Needed on Therapeutic Foster Homes

Tort judgments concerning duty and liability, typically compensatory and tied to the facts of the particular case, provide a weak and inefficient regulatory mechanism. But individual actions do provide an opportunity to inform regulators by surveying the experience of others in comparable cases. Through precedent, broader rules may evolve. Thus the Appellate Division in the recently published Broach-Butts v. Therapeutic Alternatives, LLC surveyed the gradual extension of duty rules by New Jersey courts. Reversing a grant of summary judgment, the court declared that a private social welfare agency has a duty to prospective therapeutic foster care families to fully inform them of the problems a youth may present.

More >> Regulations Needed on Therapeutic Foster Homes

Iowa mother battles to get care for adopted son's violent disorder

Tina Polly doesn't know much about what led the blond-haired, blue-eyed 5-year-old to wind up in her foster home.

More >> Iowa mother battles to get care for adopted son's violent disorder

Connecticut DCF routinely takes custody of kids with ‘specialized needs’

The state has taken custody of more than 860 children since 2011 because their families could not access or provide “specialized care” for their mental health or physical conditions, according to judicial department data.

More >> Connecticut DCF routinely takes custody of kids with ‘specialized needs’

Mother outraged DCF, not school, told her of abuse

"I shouldn't have to find out from DCF that my daughter was allegedly battered at school," said an upset Vanessa Mauk-Doane.

More >> Mother outraged DCF, not school, told her of abuse

Houseparents accused of sexual abuse at Eagle home for at-risk youth

Houseparents accused of sexual abuse at Eagle home for at-risk youth

A couple who work at a Christian program that helps homeless and at-risk children have been arrested on sexual abuse charges.

Group Home Closed: Residents Sexually Abused, Medications Missed

Group Home Closed: Residents Sexually Abused, Medications Missed

Sixteen-year-old Joe Buerckley didn’t get a good start.  His adoptive mother says his biological parents abused and neglected him, which left Joe with a brain injury and psychiatric problems.

School Board backs teacher accused of mishandling autistic child

School Board backs teacher accused of mishandling autistic child

The School Board on Tuesday overturned Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn's recommendation to fire a teacher accused of tussling with, dragging and grabbing a 10-year-old autistic child to get him to follow class rules.

Note: The schools are getting to be just as bad as CPS.  Protecting their own and mishandling special needs kids are two clear cut examples.

Medicaid and Children in Foster Care

"Oh yeah!  That's where my money goes!!!!"

Medicaid and Children in Foster Care


The health care needs of children in foster care are vast and often compounded by their circumstances. These children face myriad challenges – from placement instability, to emotional, behavioral, and educational difficulties, to juvenile justice involvement – that threaten their health and well-being. Because they are often at the intersection of multiple public systems including behavioral health, child welfare, education, juvenile justice, and primary care, it is critical for these systems to work collaboratively to meet their health needs.

Parents of special needs children worried about fraud charges

Parents of special needs children worried about fraud charges


Some New Brunswick families who have children with special needs say they're worried they may be investigated for fraud after years of being encouraged by social workers to falsify their respite care forms.

Young girl’s mother hopes inquiry sparks changes

Young girl’s mother hopes inquiry sparks changes

Note: But she's not holding her breath.


A fatality inquiry into the death of a young girl details a system that simply failed to act and now the girl’s mother wants changes.

Appeals Court Says Student Restraint Not Unconstitutional

Appeals Court Says Student Restraint Not Unconstitutional


Forcing a severely disabled student to sit at a desk that locks her in place as punishment for bad behavior is not unconstitutional, a federal court of appeals ruled Tuesday.

School asks deaf preschooler to change his sign language name

School asks deaf preschooler to change his sign language name


Three-and-a-half  year old Hunter Spanjer, who is deaf, signs his name by crossing his forefinger and index finger and moving his hand up and down.

Foster parents fight to keep caring for son

Foster parents fight to keep caring for son

Two Saskatchewan foster parents have launched a Facebook campaign as a last effort in their fight to keep caring for a young man they've raised for the last 15 years.

Parents sue to block changes in home care for children

Parents sue to block changes in home care for children


A group of parents filed a class action lawsuit today to try to stop the state from changing the way it qualifies medically fragile and technology dependent children for a program that pays for their in-home nursing care.

Parents to make Trust complaint over Child Protection Register concerns

Parents to make Trust complaint over Child Protection Register concerns


A DEVOTED mum and dad are to make a formal complaint to the Northern Trust after social services proposed putting their autistic child on the Child Protection Register so he could “access better services”.

Velvet Martin - Samantha's Law

2012 Edmonton Mayor's Awards: Outstanding Service, Velvet Martin - SAMANTHA'S LAW

Homes for special kids now under social justice dept

Homes for special kids now under social justice dept


After a spate of sexual-abuse scandals in state-run homes for mentally retarded children, the government has decided to hand over the responsibility of the homes and the children to the social justice department.

Local advocate wins service award

Local advocate wins service award

St. Albert disabled persons advocate Velvet Martin recently earned an award usually reserved just for Edmontonians.

Martin spent years pushing for a new law to improve the rights of children with disabilities and their families after her 13-year-old daughter Samantha died while in a foster home. Martin’s efforts earned her an award for outstanding service from Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel during his annual mayor’s awards ceremony recently.

Note: Congratulations to our beloved Velvet Martin!  Woooo!  If anybody deserves such an award, she does.