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Suffering from mistakes?
Suffering from mistakes
Act constructively on behalf of children http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...708080524/1030 Courtney Clark and Kenia Valencia both suffered from mistakes made by adults who were supposed to help them. Courtney survived; Kenia did not. Both cases shared three factors: Toxic parents, beset with substance-abuse problems and/or criminal tendencies. Missteps and misjudgments by case workers and supervisors linked to the Sarasota Family YMCA's Safe Children Coalition -- the community-based care agency whose district includes Pinellas (Courtney's home county) and Manatee (where Kenia died). Errors by the Florida Department of Children and Families, which oversees the YMCA program and others around the state. Child endangerment is something no society can or should tolerate. But the sad truth is, Florida has not been able to stop the trail of tragedy despite decades of attempted reforms in the child welfare system. A state review of 2005 deaths (the most recent report available) identified more than 90 children who died of neglect or abuse; in 56 of these cases, there was some kind of "prior involvement with the Department of Children and Families," the report stated. Quest for accountability Though success is elusive, the quest for improvements must continue. Besides boosting parental aid programs that help stem the causes of child abuse, it is vital to hold accountable the agencies charged with protecting children. DCF Secretary Bob Butterworth recently took important steps in that direction by confronting the problems head-on. He convened a task force to find systemic solutions, and he appointed a special review team to more specifically assess Sarasota YMCA foster care. The Y coalition also has made efforts to self-correct its shortcomings. Officials there say that over the past eight months, the program has shown "strong performance" on state benchmarks that gauge important child safety measures, such as regular visits by caseworkers. The rising scores apparently reflect changes instigated after the Courtney Clark and Kenia Valencia cases. Eighteen-month-old Kenia died in a stove accident last December -- not long after she was reunited with her mother despite the woman's substance-abuse problems and a pending charge of child neglect. Two-year-old Courtney, missing from her foster home since last September, was found alive in June in Wisconsin. She had been secreted there by her mother, who was on the lam and is now charged with murder in a related case. Miscommunication by case workers and the DCF had contributed to the delay in finding Courtney. Expenses and efficiencies More answers are needed about the missteps that came to light in these two cases. Herald-Tribune investigative reporters also have raised questions about the YMCA's expenses and cost efficiency. These, too, must be addressed. The YMCA is not alone, however. Elsewhere in the state, other child care agencies are experiencing problems. Here are some of them: In May, a Cape Coral 3-year-old was killed after enduring what other children described as regular beatings -- apparently unnoted by child protection workers, who visited him just days before his death. His mother and her boyfriend are charged, according to news reports. A 15-year-old North Miami Beach girl was beaten to death in May by a man in the motel where she was living. A state abuse investigator had declared her safe, The Miami Herald reported. Last week, a Miami child was reported raped in her foster home. According to The Miami Herald, "a DCF investigator had found 'some' evidence that a man in the home had molested another girl months earlier." In response to these reports, some Florida lawmakers are seeking legislative oversight hearings in addition to Butterworth's task force. The added attention from the Legislature could be valuable if it helps protect necessary child-safety funding at this time of tax cuts and budget pressures. As policymakers seek a new round of reforms, we urge them to act constructively on behalf of Florida's children. With so much criticism aimed at the child welfare bureaucracy, it is sometimes easy to forget that these are the same people who often do the most to help children at risk. CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA WIRETAPPING PROGRAM.... 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 CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS 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... |
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