Florida to foster families: "I believe that a foster child is homeless,"

Florida to foster families

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion...edit_0105.html

Palm Beach Post Editorial

Saturday, January 05, 2008

"I believe that a foster child is homeless," Florida Department of
Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth told The Post on Friday.
Within that statement is an overdue change in how the state will deal
with broken families.

For much of the past decade, DCF has been much more likely to remove
children from homes where they have suffered abuse or neglect than to
leave them and try to heal the family. Obviously, in extreme cases the
state must act. But Mr. Butterworth says that his agency has heard from
children that "they would rather stay in a home where they have been
abused, if possible, than suffer abuse from strangers" who are foster
parents.

So the new emphasis is going to be on keeping families intact and
helping them. To that end, the state will tap federal money to offer
those families services. DCF investigators are being told that they will
not be criticized if they follow all procedures to keep families
together, but something bad still happens.

Mr. Butterworth acknowledges the risk. "Mistakes will still happen," he
said. "And this approach will require more services, and many more
visits to the home." But placing a child in foster care can add to
problems, not decrease them. Also, the state offers inadequate services
for those who "age out" of foster care when they turn 18. Mr.
Butterworth is right about the risk. He's also right that the state
should take it.





CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAMS....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...