Friday, July 31, 2009

Lilly With Grandparents...Right Now...As I Write...

In the sunshine, in a public park, in Mt. Vernon, WA...a little girl and her good grandparents are meeting for an hour. Some state worker intrusively looks on to monitor the preschool teacher grandma...as though she is a felon. In seven months...this will be the seventh hour of "visitation" allowed by the state.

Please take a moment to contemplate how it must feel to have the state take a child based on a false report...a report that the department is currently redoing.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

We know...we have been there. My heart breaks for this child and her mother and her grandparents. Nice Job Washington!!! How do you sleep at nite?

Anonymous said...

I feel so horrible for them. It must be like reliving it all over again when the visit ends. And to know that 1 hour has got to be such a precious time but what they are left with are the haunting images of that baby crying and wanting them. It`s the worst emotional trauma I can think of to put a child through what she is going through. I know she is with her GGP`s but I feel they are being extremely selfish and can`t possibly be interested in that child`s well being. If they had any feelings at all, they would help to get Lilly back with the people who raised her from birth. It really proves true the saying that money is the root of all evil.

Anonymous said...

The department isnt redoing anything..they just say to provide themselves more time to work around you.

Anonymous said...

Washington residents should be aware that there are at least 2 advocacy group who help families with wrong DSHS decisions.

Washingtonextendedfamilies and Washingtonfamiliesunited are 2 of those sites.

How can a Preschool teacher Gramma be parted from her own flesh and blood?

We truly have harmed families by *interventions* such as this.

Maybe we need more GRANDMOMS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

Juniper S. said...

I think the problem lies in an area you have commented upon in earlier posts. There are federal laws and state laws governing the placement of children with relatives. Unfortunately, they are rife with discretionary language that allows any CPS worker to do what they like claiming there is some sort of "risk" to a child no matter how nebulous or speculative that risk may be and no matter how little the quantum of proof -- if any exists at all. Moreover, there is no oversight and virtually no remedy. I believe that it will require public oversight of DHS as well as "tightening up" of the applicable state statutes. The premise that a relative is unsuitable because CPS doesn't like them without much more is simply unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

I went through that. I got 15 minutes of observed visitation a week at the office. I was there every week without missing one meeting. I arranged my whole schedule around it. Did it for a year.
My daughter likes to use the grandkids as a manipulation tool. Many over the years have told me to walk away from both my grandkids and her because of the constant stress but I often wonder what these great advice providers would do if under the same circumstances.
Grandparents with wayward children who have children....we are starting a new culture; a collection of traumatized people who are bonded together by a deeply profound sense of loss while at the same time our government scrutinizes us with the compassion of a venomous snake.
In a visit, it gives one a high regard for spending time with and valuing the relationship with a child - much more so than the average person. I already know what those grandparents are doing. They are savoring each moment as though it may be there last because you never know when it will be just that.

Lovingfitfather said...

I know exactly how it feels to have your child taken on false pretext's.
A child I immaculately cared for and lovingly nurtured.
Even though I am a fit parent and have all the necessities and skills to parent my child.
I know the horror of having my child neglected, used and abused by the State whilst them claim the actual abuse and neglect administered to her are unfounded.
"Truthistreason,"Warrenpeace,"Lovingfitfather," and human being...