Dad PAID child support but agency ""couldn't find him"" for 10 years

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...1/ai_n16712823

Former foster child sues L.A. County after decade in care
Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Aug 31, 2006 by
Lawyers USA Staff
(This article was originally published in Lawyers USA, Boston, MA,
another Dolan Media publication.)

A teenage girl who reunited with her father last year after a decade in
foster care sued Los Angeles County for taking so long to bring them
together.

County supervisors said last September that the reunion of Melinda
Smith, now 17, and her father, Thomas Marion Smith, was the result of a
"groundbreaking effort" and congratulated county agencies for locating
the father.

But the lawsuit alleges that the Department of Children and Family
Services failed to use "due diligence" to locate Thomas Smith. It
claims the agency never notified Smith, who had continued making child
support payments, that his daughter was in foster care and never gave
him an opportunity to claim her.

"He's a registered voter with a valid driver's license and an open
child support case," Smith's attorney, L. Wallace Pate said. "All they
had to do at any time during those 10 years was pick up the phone and
ask the L.A. County Child Support Services Department: 'Do you have a
contact on this man?'"

Father and daughter were reunited in July 2005 after Melinda got help
from a social worker assigned to find permanent placement for teens in
foster care.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the county, the social
workers who handled the case and a private agency that provides
attorneys for children in foster care.

County officials would not comment because of the pending litigation.

Greegor wrote:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...1/ai_n16712823

Former foster child sues L.A. County after decade in care
Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Aug 31, 2006 by
Lawyers USA Staff
(This article was originally published in Lawyers USA, Boston, MA,
another Dolan Media publication.)

A teenage girl who reunited with her father last year after a decade in
foster care sued Los Angeles County for taking so long to bring them
together.

County supervisors said last September that the reunion of Melinda
Smith, now 17, and her father, Thomas Marion Smith, was the result of a
"groundbreaking effort" and congratulated county agencies for locating
the father.

But the lawsuit alleges that the Department of Children and Family
Services failed to use "due diligence" to locate Thomas Smith. It
claims the agency never notified Smith, who had continued making child
support payments, that his daughter was in foster care and never gave
him an opportunity to claim her.

"He's a registered voter with a valid driver's license and an open
child support case," Smith's attorney, L. Wallace Pate said. "All they
had to do at any time during those 10 years was pick up the phone and
ask the L.A. County Child Support Services Department: 'Do you have a
contact on this man?'"

Father and daughter were reunited in July 2005 after Melinda got help
from a social worker assigned to find permanent placement for teens in
foster care.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the county, the social
workers who handled the case and a private agency that provides
attorneys for children in foster care.

County officials would not comment because of the pending litigation.

This isn't the first time I've heard of this happening.
I know a man who pays child support regularly thruogh the state, yet
when there is a DFS report made regarding his children and their
caretaker he NEVER receives notice from the state.
I was under the impression, mistakenly apparently, that each legal
guardian of a child was to be notified or contacted in the event of DFS
reports for the purpose of investigation, any substantiated reports,
and any removal because the child in question should be given to the
non offending parent.
I think it's bull****, and parents, even non custodial ones, have a
right to know if their child is the subject of child abuse or neglect,
and has the right to have the child placed with them in the case of
removal from the custodial parent.
My bet is that this case will be won by the girl and her father.

Greegor wrote:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...1/ai_n16712823

Former foster child sues L.A. County after decade in care
Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Aug 31, 2006 by
Lawyers USA Staff
(This article was originally published in Lawyers USA, Boston, MA,
another Dolan Media publication.)

A teenage girl who reunited with her father last year after a decade in
foster care sued Los Angeles County for taking so long to bring them
together.

County supervisors said last September that the reunion of Melinda
Smith, now 17, and her father, Thomas Marion Smith, was the result of a
"groundbreaking effort" and congratulated county agencies for locating
the father.

But the lawsuit alleges that the Department of Children and Family
Services failed to use "due diligence" to locate Thomas Smith. It
claims the agency never notified Smith, who had continued making child
support payments, that his daughter was in foster care and never gave
him an opportunity to claim her.

"He's a registered voter with a valid driver's license and an open
child support case," Smith's attorney, L. Wallace Pate said. "All they
had to do at any time during those 10 years was pick up the phone and
ask the L.A. County Child Support Services Department: 'Do you have a
contact on this man?'"

Father and daughter were reunited in July 2005 after Melinda got help
from a social worker assigned to find permanent placement for teens in
foster care.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the county, the social
workers who handled the case and a private agency that provides
attorneys for children in foster care.

County officials would not comment because of the pending litigation.

(side note)
Many years ago my nutso neighbor made a DFS report against me stating
that my kids were left home alone for the weekend.
The worker showed up, confirmed with the kids that they had been out of
town for the weekend, and left.
Imagine my surprise when I received a copy of the determination of
unfounded and it showed that a copy had been sent to my ex husband, and
gave his address. (awol for about nine years at that time)
I didn't know what to think of that considering that I had filed for
child support and they had told me for years that they could not find
him.

At DFS one hand never knows what the other is doing.
I believed that each division had 'ties' by computer to the other.
WRONG.
Apparently the separate divisions don't share information as I believed
they would, instead each has to ask the other for information that they
need.
Here anyway.
Could be different in other places.

Dragon's Girl wrote:
Greegor wrote:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...1/ai_n16712823

Former foster child sues L.A. County after decade in care
Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Aug 31, 2006 by
Lawyers USA Staff
(This article was originally published in Lawyers USA, Boston, MA,
another Dolan Media publication.)

A teenage girl who reunited with her father last year after a decade in
foster care sued Los Angeles County for taking so long to bring them
together.

County supervisors said last September that the reunion of Melinda
Smith, now 17, and her father, Thomas Marion Smith, was the result of a
"groundbreaking effort" and congratulated county agencies for locating
the father.

But the lawsuit alleges that the Department of Children and Family
Services failed to use "due diligence" to locate Thomas Smith. It
claims the agency never notified Smith, who had continued making child
support payments, that his daughter was in foster care and never gave
him an opportunity to claim her.

"He's a registered voter with a valid driver's license and an open
child support case," Smith's attorney, L. Wallace Pate said. "All they
had to do at any time during those 10 years was pick up the phone and
ask the L.A. County Child Support Services Department: 'Do you have a
contact on this man?'"

Father and daughter were reunited in July 2005 after Melinda got help
from a social worker assigned to find permanent placement for teens in
foster care.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the county, the social
workers who handled the case and a private agency that provides
attorneys for children in foster care.

County officials would not comment because of the pending litigation.

(side note)
Many years ago my nutso neighbor made a DFS report against me stating
that my kids were left home alone for the weekend.
The worker showed up, confirmed with the kids that they had been out of
town for the weekend, and left.
Imagine my surprise when I received a copy of the determination of
unfounded and it showed that a copy had been sent to my ex husband, and
gave his address. (awol for about nine years at that time)
I didn't know what to think of that considering that I had filed for
child support and they had told me for years that they could not find
him.

At DFS one hand never knows what the other is doing.
I believed that each division had 'ties' by computer to the other.
WRONG.
Apparently the separate divisions don't share information as I believed
they would, instead each has to ask the other for information that they
need.

That's exactly the problem.

If no one asks, nothing happens.

INMJ mentality.

A few years back a local high school reunion committee posted the names
of the people they couldn't find in the town newspaper.

Difficult to find people, such as their classmate... the current town
mayor.