CPS (Child Protective Services)

When it comes to kids and family, do you think that CPS causes more good or more harm?

That all depends on the situation, imo.

I think it's a combination. I'm sure like everything else there are some who are in it for all the right reasons & want to make life better but then there are the ones who just want to make a name for themselves. The system needs a complete overhaul.

I couldn't say since most of the stories you hear about these people are about them repeatedly going to homes where children are abused, and for them being in the profession of this, have NO idea the kids are being abused, and then a few weeks or months later the kids are beaten to death by their parents, which leaves you to wonder what the hell is wrong with these people that this is their job and they never knew what was going on? Or they just didn't care.

They definitely don't need to be abolished, but I think it does need to get better. On the flipside, CPS could be meddling into something that has nothing to do with abusing children. There is a fine line that needs to be towed.

I ususally only hear about them when they drop the ball and some kid dies from neglect or abuse or the other end of the spectrum when they become so over zealous that they wind up persecuting parents who've done no wrong.

Nystyle709 wrote:They definitely don't need to be abolished, but I think it does need to get better. On the flipside, CPS could be meddling into something that has nothing to do with abusing children. There is a fine line that needs to be towed.

In some circumstances they can help but other times when they need to step in they don't

Granted, we do hear about all the times they drop the ball. That is awful, and most times inexcusable. However, they are swamped by b.s. reports, and don't have the man power to check everything out that gets reported.

So, while they are too often negligent in proper follow up, I think a huge factor in all that is all the people who call for b.s. reasons.

Shale wrote:

alan smithee wrote:I ususally only hear about them when they drop the ball and some kid dies from neglect or abuse or the other end of the spectrum when they become so over zealous that they wind up persecuting parents who've done no wrong.

Here in Florida we have a big scandal of the ball dropping. Several kids with clear indications of abuse were not removed from the home and later were found dead. Each time the dept. of children & families promisses an overhaul and to find how it was dropped but the problem still persists.

Wasn't there a case in Florida a couple weeks ago about a brother and sister who were beaten and abused and the girl died and her body was ditched and the boy was left in a hot truck to smother to death, this being after SEVERAL complaints were made at the school by the staff but child services never looked into it?

ITA that it depends on the situation. There are horror stories on both sides - kids who shouldn't have been removed and were and kids who were removed when they shouldn't have been. There are also stories of kids who were saved by CPS and would be dead or seriously injured otherwise.

I worked in a group home with two adult clients and one foster child. She had some pretty serious health concerned, which is why she was placed in such an atypical situation. The owner of the group home was a registered nurse equipped to deal with this child's chronic health needs. She was surrendered to CPS because her parents were unable to meet her needs as her health was so fragile. She was removed from her parents because of severe abuse that occurred during unsupervised home visits. She was terrified of her Dad and would scream any time he came near her. When she came to the group home, one of her legs and both of her little arms were broken and in casts. She was just 3 years old and the cutest little kid. She's 10 now and still in the same place, though the group home has shut down. From the time she arrived, the staff treated her like a kid sister of daughter. She's still adored by all of the staff and is thriving. We get together a couple of times a year for potlucks, baby showers and so forth and she's beside herself each time we all get together. Had CPS not interfered, this child would likely be dead.

CPS/DSS need reformation. They have the best of intentions, but they don't work very well.

It seems like they're either always failing to protect the kids that need them or ruining the lives of kids that don't by punishing good parents.