Mandated reporting again
....and other news
Today we’ve got a couple of pieces on mandated reporting that I’d like to draw your attention to. The first is an article by Debbie Ausburn pointing out a Pennsylvania study showing that expanded mandated reporting increased the number of complaints received by child protective services but didn’t increase the number of actual cases of child abuse detected. The second is a piece I received from a social worker who requested anonymity regarding his or her experiences with mandated reporting:
Mandated reporter laws are broken.
I sit at my desk all day staring at child after child who I feel are being failed. Failed by me, failed by my employer, and most importantly failed by THE SYSTEM. The system being, of course, the child welfare system. The last government entitlement program, the last blank check, and the last safety net.
I’ve had enough -- this mom has missed 10 appointments for her medically fragile child. The child could die, or worse end up in foster care (more on that later). So what can I do? I’ve called the mom — she’s cursed at me. She’s overwhelmed, and I get that.
My solution? Follow the law, of course. It is my responsibility as a MANDATED REPORTER to make another referral to my local child protection department, so that an underpaid, understaffed and overwhelmed government employee can tell mom to show up to her appointments. Often the intervention is simply a piece of paper the parent signs agreeing to show up for the next appointment. That’s it. That’s the intervention. Two weeks later, what if that child gets very sick (through probably no additional fault of the parent -- sick kids get sick) and almost dies?
Another referral comes in: an alleged chronically neglected child almost died, and YOU failed them. Leadership gets involved and it is decided this family is not going to make us look bad, so we’ll put them in foster care -- that’ll solve the problem.
Ten years later the child remains in foster care, has burned out 200 case managers,and has taxed a system never designed to serve these types of children.
Meanwhile, a police officer responds to a 10th domestic violence call this week — dad is threatening mom in front of the kids throwing the TV remote. No one broke the law, there are no marks or bruises, and the perpetrator agrees to leave the home to cool off.
After just responding to a murder call, the officer considers this petty call is merely an irritant. No child welfare referral is made, despite police officers being the most important mandated reporter.
“Why, sir, was no call made to Child Protective Services (CPS), a legislator might ask?
The officer might respond: “Because I am the law? I’m reporting to myself? I just solved the problem. What is CPS going to do? Have the parents sign a paper?”
And herein lies the problem: for law enforcement, if the kid isn’t entering foster care, what does Child Protective Services do that police don’t? And aside from that piece of paper called a “safety plan, “ it turns out -- not much. Which one might imagine is a problem. CPS is supposed to do quite a bit more then a police officer is required to do. That includes but is not limited to a complete psychosocial assessment, questioning of children, and if necessary, a safety plan. If a safety concern is found, intervention is required!!!
Does the government track the success of intervention? The government tracks one statistic in child abuse cases — did it happen again within a month? Why a month’s time? Because investigations are capped at 45 days, so surely if you are actively being “investigated” you won’t maltreat your child again — the intervention is that good.
But what is stopping you? Certainly not mandated reporter laws and certainly not the current interventions being used. No, unfortunately, the job to protect children is either a poorly written safety plan that is rarely followed or foster care. As a window washer in the field of child welfare, I can see one thing perfectly clear – mandated reporting laws are broken.
In other news:
More than 1000 children adopted from Colorado’s foster care system in the past 10 years have ended up back in care.
The Supreme Court heard Brackeen v. Haaland last week. Here’s a report on the arguments about whether the Indian Child Welfare Act is constitutional.
For you lawyers, here’s an interesting dissent in a Michigan Supreme Court TPR appeal.
And Mr. Tom! I have message you several times about my mandated report? And what has happened to my child that was abducted and Kidnapped legally? And I have never even gotten any reo from u? About nothing? There for I am to believe your are a failure? In your career cuz if you cared even a little bit? Like all the stories you share with people. That's just for looks? U really don't care man!!! Your pretending to be someone your not? You could care less about what is happening in your own State your own County? U would have help me? Out ir at least giving me some good advice on where to turn to and where to start with my situation? But u have never even said I am sorry for what you are going through? Nothing? I sorry but I can not put no faith, or No good reputation for you? U are not a good person! I don't care how good u look in the Public eye! Behind all that you are not a good person!! U don't care about these children or the families, u just don't??? And that's really sad!!
Tom, as always thank you for sharing these articles. Georgia, much like most states has a subsidy for adopting children from the foster care system. I was surprised that so little is done to stop the subsidy once children return to care. There is a unit in Georgia that tracks adoptions that have been dissolved, but experience has taught me they rarely know. Adoptive families continue to get a subsidy as long as they are "minimally involved" in the life of the child. It seems that the system would ensure the rev max unit of Adoption notifies the court in writing that the subsidy has ended for children that return to care. This would put money back in the system to help provide needed services to children that return to care.