Did the System Fail?
The CPS supervisor was suspended, so it seems blame is landing squarely on his shoulders. Is that appropriate?
I understand it. Any of us who have a responsibility for the safety of children would feel a need to retrace our steps and see what, if anything, we could have done differently. Clearly there's disappointment at the county level with this case. But, ironically, what may have been the trigger in this case was the fact that CPS showed up at this lady's house. The organization responsible for protecting kids may have been what pushed her over the edge, ultimately. A woman with clear mental health issues may have seen it as the push for her to have to decide to do that instead of letting her children be taken away.
Should anything be done differently in deciding when to take children out of a home?
It is a very careful, deliberate decision. It is a grueling process and difficult for the team making that decision. There have been points in time when CPS has been chastised for taking kids out of the home. Then the pendulum swings, and then they get asked why they didn't take kids out of a home. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. There needs to be a community response to these issues. It can't just be CPS. These are complicated families with sad histories and a multitude of problems, and I don't think we can just expect that sending CPS out to investigate is going to fix it. We desperately need CPS, but they need to be part of a bigger team that addresses the needs of children.
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Member Comments
Posted By: Adad211 @ 03/28/2008 2:30:54 PM
Comment: As a father who's been trying to protect his child from the child's mother who has threatened her child's life and is clearly delusional, it is the syatem, and the people within the system. I've spent an inordinate amount of money, just to keep my ex from potentially killing our child. However, the law states that people have a right to be crazy and raise a child even if they're crazy and untreated. This is often very dangerous to the children. As well, our legal system assumes that if you're a man, you're a scumbag unless proven otherwise, and even then, it assumes you're only less of a scumbag. There is a VERY strong bias for the mother. And mental health professionals won't commit to anything, but are happy to jump in with diagnosis after the tragedy has occured.
Form what I've been through, I am no longer surprised that tragedies such as this, Andrea Yates, Susan Smith occur. Our laws are rediculous, there's incredible bias in the system, and most of the people you find in the mental health community are spineless. Luckinly there are a few judges out there who know children are helpless victims and deserve to be protected, and therefore work the system as best they can.
The first thng that needss to be done though is that the laws have to change. The current laws view the crazy person as the victim, as opposed to the crazy person's family, friends, colleagues and community. There are far to many cases showing proof that we are the true victims, and children should have more of a right ot be protected that the insane person should have the right to remain insane and untreated.
Posted By: bearealamericanlikeme @ 03/13/2008 10:28:49 AM
Comment: Humanity is as dead as those kids, life isn't a disney movie, grow up. It's a hard cold world out there.
Saying she was wronged is lunacy though, it makes me laugh to read that sentence. SHE MURDERED!
NUFF SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: bearealamericanlikeme @ 03/13/2008 10:24:05 AM
Comment: The system didn't break down, the low-life mother broke down. I'm more than sure she'll be coddled and taken care of for the rest of her life and we'll all pay for it. And I don't care if it's politically correct or not I'll say it: Only Responsible and Competent adults should reproduce!!!!!!! This woman is a moron and should only be given bits of string to play with, not kids.