Calling CPS
This morning I read something that illustrates perfectly why it is dangerous to call CPS. I’ve tried to tell people this for years, but it is hard to get the word out there to a population of mind-controlled, oh-too-trusting Americans, many of whom are still brainwashed to think that Child Protective Services exists to protect children. Calling CPS can be the worst nightmare you can inflict on parents; it also leads to increased danger and horrible trauma for many, many children.
But for today, let Joe tell us what it is like to seek help from a counselor who called CPS caseworkers, thinking they might be a bunch of benevolent child protecting social workers. Here’s Joe’s Comment.
Before I go on, let me say to Joe - you have my sympathy. At this point you have no choice but to fulfill the service plan requirements as stated in your court order. You’ll have to walk through hell to get out of the nightmare and protect your child. If you need to talk to experienced people about what’s going on in your case, please join the Fight CPS Message Forum.
Now to anyone thinking about calling CPS - PLEASE PEOPLE… put on the brakes. Evaluate the situation. Think about whether the child is actually in any specific danger known to you. Because once you make that call, either you’ll have the frustration of being ignored (about 80% of calls do not result in investigations) or… you may find out you don’t get the results you expected.
In Joe’s case, the counselor expected that Joe’s son would remain with him. As it turned out, he was taken out of his custody for a while. Even though he was the thoughtful parent who reported abuse to a counselor, Joe was accused by CPS social workers of “failure to protect” and now has to complete rigid “service plan” requirements that are using up too many hours each week and threatening his ability to keep his job.
People - this is TYPICAL. This is HOW IT NORMALLY WORKS. I’ve heard from many, many parents who struggled to complete CPS “service plans” only to lose their jobs in the process… and in the wake, they lost their homes, marriages, children . . . everything.
CPS is a FAMILY DESTROYING AGENCY. The people working there may think they are trying to protect children, but given the bad laws and regulations they must abide by, there’s no way they can attempt to protect children without destroying lives, families, jobs, homes, self-esteem of the people involved, and everything else that goes with it.
Please do NOT call CPS. That’s like calling in the devil. If you’re absolutely sure beyond the shadow of any doubt that a child is being severely physically abused, then call the local law enforcement agency - don’t bother calling CPS - the officers will do it if that’s warranted. Don’t ever call CPS for some petty thing. That destroys too many lives and especially traumatizes children, many of whom are injured worse in foster homes than they ever were in their natural family homes.
I like this advice given to a person who considered calling CPS because of a dirty house: CPS and/or Intervention. Need advice.
…
hi can u please call me i need ur help 409-770-3113 and the email isnt real i dont have one.
Comment by crystal — February 23, 2008 @ 4:37 pm
Linda, thank you for your Website and for pointing out that hotlining CPS is not a move that someone should undertake without thinking.
And joining the message boards here will help folks.
Also, for folks– politely declining to speak to CPS is a wise move.
Folks if a caseworker knocks on your door, please try to talk with foreknowlege. That is, don’t piss them off….
Youtube has some caseworker videos.
Best to keep your mouth shut and your brains awake.
Comment by Fern — February 24, 2008 @ 11:40 am
I totally agree with Linda. Child Predatory Services have destroyed my family beyond repair. My mother & her ‘partner’ have custody of our 3 kids & show NO signs of giving them back. They only let us have all of them one day a week. Total parental alienation going on here, but we have NO legal help that we so desparately need.
Comment by Susan — February 25, 2008 @ 12:17 am
You can’t fight CPS no matter what you do. Be nice, follow the rules, whatever you like, it won’t get you anywhere. The only thing you can do if CPS comes sniffing around your kids is the same thing you’d do with any other vicious pack of dogs - PACK THEM UP AND RUN LIKE HELL. Courts and lawyers are a waste of time. If you’ve let them get that far, you better just get used to not having your kids, because you’re never getting them back.
They will waste time in court, delay the proceedings, and use any visitation rights you may have with your children to collect evidence against you (and if you do anything, or don’t do anything, or do something, or don’t do something, or if you feed your child or don’t, play with your child or don’t, change a diaper or don’t, it will all be used as evidence that you hate your child and are severely mentally ill to boot). They will say you completed the service plan and then decide arbitrarily that you didn’t complete it “good enough”. They will pay psychologists to write up phony reports on you. They will testify to being afraid for their lives at the knowledge that you continue to draw breath.
In the end, they will claim that they simply don’t know how to do a reunification, even though that’s supposedly their job, and the judge will call that good enough reason to terminate your parental rights. And your lawyer will do nothing at all because if he tries to defend you at all, he’ll lose his job.
This *is* what happens when CPS comes around. So if you even *think* there’s the slightest *chance* they might - RUN.
Comment by MJ — February 26, 2008 @ 6:33 pm
Crystal,
Did Linda call you? What is the problem? You are in my area.. I know that by the area code.
Comment by Diando — February 27, 2008 @ 1:44 pm
Ok first let me start with do not call cps unless the child is being abused,neglected, or its a health issue.
By abuse I mean old school abuse. Not this you’r not allowed to spank you’r child abuse. If you’ve ever had kids you know no 2 are alike. This also goes in forms of disapline.
By neglect I mean is the child not being feed. Not the child dont like to eat because thier a picky eater. Is the child too young to be let alone at home and is often. Is the parents drug abusers or alcholics and do not take of thier children. The bathing thing I hear so much about on web sites i’m 50/50 on. 3 of my 5 have a skin condition. Which the dermitoligist said its not good to give them baths ever day. It’ll dry out thier skin to much and worsen the condition. If I do try not to use soap as less as possable.
By health/medical I mean does the child have a breathing condition and the parents are neglecting the meds kind of thing.
Before you call really figure out whats going on with the child and family. If you truly have the childs best intrest at heart. You need to really go over these things. You owe it to the child. Because once cps is involved they can change the rules at will. And you just might wind up doing worse damange the you thought the parents where inflicting.
As I tell my children and people who ask me for advice on my sight.
Think before you act!!
Comment by april — February 27, 2008 @ 6:49 pm
MJ said it best. I wish I had that advice & ran like hell when all this started in Aug. of 2005. My own mother should have told me what they were up to so we could have fled. My husband & I completed all their stupid service plans, jumped thru all their hoops, but NOTHING was ever good enough. They are the ultimate abusers because they dangle the hope of getting back the kids like a carrot in front of you, just so they can jerk you around. May they rot in hell!
Comment by Susan — February 28, 2008 @ 7:22 am
Linda, good topic.
Reading some of the other posts brings to mind that families should try NOT to bring children to the ER, unless it is a dire emergency.
If at all possible go to the doctor or clinic where they know you and your child.
Comment by Fern — February 28, 2008 @ 7:06 pm