Ripped apart at the seams

Ripped apart at the seams
Two local families fight a losing battle against Children’s Services’ secretive system
By Meredith J. Cooper
newsreview.com
This article was published on 12.16.10

California- We’ve all heard horror stories of children being beaten, molested, exposed to hardcore drug abuse and even prostitution. For most, these situations boggle the mind, melt the heart and justify just about any amount of intervention by government agencies to ensure the future safety of the children.

Child Protective Services—now known as Children’s Services in Butte County—operates under a veil of secrecy and privilege, but because of stories like those above, for many that secrecy and privilege seem justified. Others argue that the secrecy is being used against them, the privilege taken for granted. And if half the services offered to foster parents were offered to biological parents or family members—as the federal government and even Children’s Services suggest—fewer families would be ripped apart.

The priorities outlined on Butte County Children’s Services’ website suggest that keeping the family unit intact is a priority, but the Perrys and Garveys, both Butte County families, know different. In both cases, a child who is most definitely wanted and loved has been plucked from his or her home and placed instead in foster care.

There must be a good reason for these children to be in foster care, you might think while reading this. You’re likely one of the majority whose life has not been touched by Children’s Services. Of course, you could be right—the point of this story is not to discredit the department.

But organizations like the Pacific Justice Institute offer another, darker explanation: That perhaps Children’s Services is not working in the best interest of every child. Perhaps it’s fueled by a need for federal grant money, allocated based on numbers of kids in foster care and those who get adopted. Perhaps the secrecy involved is not so much in the child’s best interest, either, but is used to help increase those numbers—and federal funding—when possible.  FULL STORY