Posted by Toph on December 4, 2004, at 8:26:21
In reply to Thread migrated to CPS as a topic, posted by 64bowtie on December 4, 2004, at 0:47:31
Rod,
CPS is a complicated topic, but to reduce discussion to a couple central themes, some would say that government social services is founded on noble ideas but flawed in practice. It's ironic that child protection evolved out of the animal rights movement. There was actually government intervention to protect animals before there were laws protecting children. Anyway, the child welfare movement is founded on the state's authority under "Parens Patriae" which means literally, "parent of the country." It is the state's role as sovereign and guardian of persons having legal disability. Parens Patriae originates from the English common law where the King had a royal prerogative to act as guardian to persons with legal disabilities such as infants. This principal also applies to authority over persons with developmental disabilities, chronic mental illness, other incapacities (such as organic brain syndrome and dementias), as well as children who are presumed incompetent. Over time child welfare has progressed from a mandate to intervene to protect abused/neglected children and other incompetents to where it is now considered the state's responsibility to so act.Having worked within that system, I have experienced the failings of a bureaucracy in acting as the "parent" for a child. To name a few problems, the due process rights of the judicial system protect the rights of the parent as if we are dealing with property. The child or ward has their rights protected by a guardian ad litem or advocate who is rarely one of community's finest lawyers. Foster parents who are actually altruistic, competent surrogate parents to children get burned out and leave the system, leaving often foster parents who have less noble motivations for this "job." The financial reimbursement for being a foster parent hardly compensates for the responsibility of caring for a human life.
It is a tragic irony that the state as "parent" of abused and neglected children becomes an abusive and neglectful parent itself. Having said that, I stayed working in the system because I believe I had some impact on protecting children in desperate circumstances. That it was so diffidult and because the consequences of getting it wrong had such a damaging effect on a child led to my burnout and bailout. The average length of stay of a CPS worker in my state is about 2 years. I wish I had a solution for the mess. God bless all those who endeavor to make incompetent people safe. They should have all the tools necessary to be successful.
poster:Toph
thread:424237
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20041202/msgs/424277.html