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Lawsuit alleges abuse, neglect of R.I. foster care kids: "Childrenare not safe in the current status quo," child advocate Jametta Alston said."We need a system change."
Lawsuit alleges abuse, neglect of R.I. foster care kids
By Eric Tucker, Associated Press Writer | June 29, 2007 http://www.boston.com/news/local/rho...r_care_ki ds/ PROVIDENCE, R.I. --One Rhode Island foster child allegedly was sent to live with an aunt despite telling his caseworker the woman had beat him. Another was cycled between more than a dozen shelters and institutions, including one where he allegedly was sexually abused. A 3-year-old toddler was beaten to death -- allegedly by his foster parents. The complaints are detailed in a federal lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families, which says Rhode Island has one of the highest rates of abuse and neglect of foster children in the nation and blames the state for failing to protect them. The lawsuit, filed this week by the state's child advocate on behalf of 3,000 children in state custody, demands a sweeping overhaul to the child welfare system. "Children are not safe in the current status quo," child advocate Jametta Alston said. "We need a system change." Alston and the New York-based watchdog group Children's Rights filed the lawsuit Thursday. Patricia Martinez, director of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, referred questions Friday to Gov. Don Carcieri, who is also named as a defendant. "Any case of abuse involving children is extremely upsetting to me, which is why I take this lawsuit very seriously," Carcieri said in a statement. "Children who are placed in foster care are extremely vulnerable, and we have worked very hard since I took office to ensure that their needs are met." He also said the complaint does not reflect improvements made by the department and also includes several errors, such as the claim that 69 percent of child placing agencies in Rhode Island were unlicensed. Carcieri plans to meet with Alston on Monday, and the department was currently reviewing the allegations in the lawsuit, said Carcieri spokesman Michael Maynard said. Martinez earlier told The Providence Journal that the department was working to improve the system. "I think we have a decent relationship with the child advocate and the Family Court, and those are the types of relationships you need in any system to help you move forward," Martinez said. The lawsuit describes a system beset with problems. In five of the six years from 2000 to 2005, for instance, Rhode Island had the highest rate of documented abuse or neglect of foster care children among all states that reported data, according to federal data cited by the plaintiffs. In some cases, the complaint says, the department reunites children with their parents without making sure the home is safe. It also says the department places children in foster care far from their communities, and that siblings are often separated when they shouldn't be. Caseworkers have such excessive workloads, the lawsuit says, that they sometimes fail to visit children for months -- even though they are required to visit them monthly. Carcieri said caseworkers now have greater flexibility in their schedules, and the department was hiring 10 more. The complaint describes several children who it says suffered neglect or outright abuse. The allegations are based largely on researching children's case files and case notes, Alston said. A spokesman for the governor said DCYF was still reviewing the complaint and could not confirm or deny those specifics. The lawsuit alleges that the department returned two brothers, identified only as "Sam" and "Tony," to the custody of their parents even though one of the boys complained that his father had sexually abused him. One month later, the department received a report that one boy had a quarter-sized mark on his neck and one had a bruise around his eye. The department investigated but did not take the boys from the home, according to the lawsuit. The complaint comes two and a half years after the 2004 death of 3-year-old T.J. Wright, who was living in foster care with his aunt, Katherine Bunnell, and her live-in boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre. Each has pleaded not guilty to beating him to death. A report issued a year after the child's death said the department had missed five opportunities to intervene and recommended multiple reforms, including limiting the number of cases for each caseworker and immediately removing children from unsafe foster homes. But Alston says the department has been too slow in making those changes. "All things just remained the same," she said. Alston said she filed the lawsuit as a last resort. "We want to change the system of child welfare in Rhode Island," Alston said. "But first and foremost, we want to look at, 'Are children safe and how can we make them safer?'" © Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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 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 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. 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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Lawsuit alleges abuse, neglect of R.I. foster care kids: "Children are not safe in the current status quo," child advocate Jametta Alston said. "We need a system change."
I'd like to know more about this state child advocate concept.
On Jun 30, 12:26 am, fx wrote: Lawsuit alleges abuse, neglect of R.I. foster care kids By Eric Tucker, Associated Press Writer | June 29, 2007 http://www.boston.com/news/local/rho...2007/06/29/law... PROVIDENCE, R.I. --One Rhode Island foster child allegedly was sent to live with an aunt despite telling his caseworker the woman had beat him. Another was cycled between more than a dozen shelters and institutions, including one where he allegedly was sexually abused. A 3-year-old toddler was beaten to death -- allegedly by his foster parents. The complaints are detailed in a federal lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families, which says Rhode Island has one of the highest rates of abuse and neglect of foster children in the nation and blames the state for failing to protect them. The lawsuit, filed this week by the state's child advocate on behalf of 3,000 children in state custody, demands a sweeping overhaul to the child welfare system. "Children are not safe in the current status quo," child advocate Jametta Alston said. "We need a system change." Alston and the New York-based watchdog group Children's Rights filed the lawsuit Thursday. Patricia Martinez, director of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, referred questions Friday to Gov. Don Carcieri, who is also named as a defendant. "Any case of abuse involving children is extremely upsetting to me, which is why I take this lawsuit very seriously," Carcieri said in a statement. "Children who are placed in foster care are extremely vulnerable, and we have worked very hard since I took office to ensure that their needs are met." He also said the complaint does not reflect improvements made by the department and also includes several errors, such as the claim that 69 percent of child placing agencies in Rhode Island were unlicensed. Carcieri plans to meet with Alston on Monday, and the department was currently reviewing the allegations in the lawsuit, said Carcieri spokesman Michael Maynard said. Martinez earlier told The Providence Journal that the department was working to improve the system. "I think we have a decent relationship with the child advocate and the Family Court, and those are the types of relationships you need in any system to help you move forward," Martinez said. The lawsuit describes a system beset with problems. In five of the six years from 2000 to 2005, for instance, Rhode Island had the highest rate of documented abuse or neglect of foster care children among all states that reported data, according to federal data cited by the plaintiffs. In some cases, the complaint says, the department reunites children with their parents without making sure the home is safe. It also says the department places children in foster care far from their communities, and that siblings are often separated when they shouldn't be. Caseworkers have such excessive workloads, the lawsuit says, that they sometimes fail to visit children for months -- even though they are required to visit them monthly. Carcieri said caseworkers now have greater flexibility in their schedules, and the department was hiring 10 more. The complaint describes several children who it says suffered neglect or outright abuse. The allegations are based largely on researching children's case files and case notes, Alston said. A spokesman for the governor said DCYF was still reviewing the complaint and could not confirm or deny those specifics. The lawsuit alleges that the department returned two brothers, identified only as "Sam" and "Tony," to the custody of their parents even though one of the boys complained that his father had sexually abused him. One month later, the department received a report that one boy had a quarter-sized mark on his neck and one had a bruise around his eye. The department investigated but did not take the boys from the home, according to the lawsuit. The complaint comes two and a half years after the 2004 death of 3-year-old T.J. Wright, who was living in foster care with his aunt, Katherine Bunnell, and her live-in boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre. Each has pleaded not guilty to beating him to death. A report issued a year after the child's death said the department had missed five opportunities to intervene and recommended multiple reforms, including limiting the number of cases for each caseworker and immediately removing children from unsafe foster homes. But Alston says the department has been too slow in making those changes. "All things just remained the same," she said. Alston said she filed the lawsuit as a last resort. "We want to change the system of child welfare in Rhode Island," Alston said. "But first and foremost, we want to look at, 'Are children safe and how can we make them safer?'" © Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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 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 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. 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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