Sunday, September 20, 2009

Reuniting Families

"Where is my daddy? Will he remember me? Does he still love me? Will he like me?

The reunion is at the base bowling alley. Daddy has been gone for 6 months.

The reunion is of my son, Captain John, my granddaughter (4), grandson (2), and their new baby (3 months). The United States military has an interview process for airmen and others who return from deployment. But, they are free to go home with their families after arrival.

Sadie was so happy to see her daddy that her mom said: "Sadie doesn't even know I'm around. She wants to spend all her time with John!" And that is normal!

It would be torturous for everyone involved to have little mini visits that yank families apart again. And, yet, that is exactly what CPS does.

A city council member in Eastern Washington had raised her granddaughter from birth. At 1 1/2 the child was taken from the grandmother with all the attendant lies about her. There is a pattern of how to take kids. I have been working to get a reunification and that may be taking place very soon. But the department suggested that 15 minute visits....once a week...at McDonald's...would be the proper course for reunification. Fifteen minutes for the grandmother and another, separate, 15 minutes for the 10 year-old granddaughter that the council member had been raising.

Separations in the military can be for 1 1/2 years. Sometimes both parents are deployed at the same time. But military reunification is immediate. And CPS thinks 15 minutes once a week...for how long??? They won't say.

Sadie was a little apprehensive at first. But kids warm up fast. I am so sorry for policies that cause misery and stress and harm to children and families.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I bet when the child was taken they had no problem yanking her from her Grandmother`s home to throw her into a strangers home. And many times the visit providers are just another puppet to report back what the dept.wants to hear. How is a 15 minute visit going to go well for either the adult or the child? The child will be hurt so much more. JUST SUCK IT UP CPS AND GIVE THE GIRL BACK!! Return the kidnapped victims and concentrate on the children who really need your help.

Anonymous said...

Those little visits are yet another way for CPS to say the child seeing the relative is bothered by the visits. I`m sure the child would act out after the visit out of confusion. Talk about torture!

Anonymous said...

I know about the 15 minute a week visit because that is what I am getting only it is not at McDonalds but at the office behind a view window.
In Maine, they are making best use of the new Federal laws for relatives on guardianship. They are placing with relatives now most of the time.
Here is the article:
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6855409.html

Now why is it so hard for the to do that here?

Anonymous said...

Great comparrison! Children are never transitioned out of a home. Yet I have seen transitions take months. Kids know their parents and adapt to their family homes very quickly. What a crock! Junk psychology at its best money making scheme!

Anonymous said...

OREGON STATE STUDIES ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
"In 2008, there were 83 children in Oregon family foster care homes who were abused or neglected, said Erinn Kelley-Siel, director of Children, Adults and Families division of Oregon Department of Human Services."
http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/37976

Anonymous said...

I am the councilwoman who was "supposedly" going to have 15 minute visits with my grandbaby, and alone. This was to occur after my oldest granddaughter visited her for 15 minutes. When CPS was called on it, they blamed the 15 min idea on my attorney, who stated, "I did not do this." We took what we could get." Then, I was called by a worker, and told that a "prior" social worker had to "update" my psych eval, done last month, in order to assure that I was "SAFE" to visit my grandbaby at all! They pull anything they can pull to intimidate you, frighten you, into crawling into a corner, making you "believe" OMG, something must have been said that was "awful" in my psych eval! Well, little did they know, I had my eval in hand as I had paid for it, and completed it of my own accord. Now, they want my doctor to "change" my evaluation, by stating, "I am not safe." He said, " I can not do that." I will not do that." " I can't go against my own evaluation!"

You must be one step ahead of them, that's for sure! Talk about bully's. Bully's always pick on the weak, vulnerable; the innocent victims. I admit, I have my weak moments, but when I get knocked down, I get back up! Thank you is not enough to say, to Senator Pam Roach for stepping up to the plate! This woman is miraculous! God bless you and your family! Lovely picture of John, and the children!