Child Welfare Case Study

Department of Human Services (DHS) is a human service organization meant to help individuals and families with temporary services in their time of need. The mission statement is: “Improving the quality of life in Michigan by providing services to vulnerable children and adults that will strengthen the community and enable families and individuals to move toward independence.” (Michigan.gov) DHS provides an array of services to individuals and families, these include: food assistance, cash assistance, health care assistance, children services, adult services, and many more.

Child abuse is when a parent or caregiver, through action or failure to act, causes injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child. According to The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, as amended by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010, at a minimum, child abuse and neglect is defined as, "Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation"; or "An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm (Children 's Bureau, 2010)." The law recognizes a child as being any person who is under the age of 18. The law is broken into 2 sections, and each section treats the idea of child maltreatment in different ways. Criminally, those who abuse children are able to be arrested and prosecuted in court. Civil statutes say that people who suspect a child of being abused are mandated to identify and report it.

When children come into the custody of DCFS and are placed into Foster Care they are scared, confused, lonely, and usually conditioned not to tell when they are being mistreated. Most of the children that come into “the system” have learned to accept abuse as normal or natural and are unaware that they are even being mistreated. Therefore, when they are placed in homes where this is occurring it is not in their nature to speak up. Once they are removed from their parents, they are solely reliant on the department for their protection and it is the department’s responsibility to provide that protection which has not always been fulfilled by the department or the foster care agencies. The department should be making reasonable efforts to provide proper services

In Attorney General v. Sheriff of Suffolk County, 394 Mass. 624 (1985); Guardianship of Anthony, 402 Mass. 723 (1988), “The Court cannot exercise the function of the executive branch of the government by ordering the agency to fulfill certain obligations in a specific manner”. However, if an agency has failed to act in accordance with applicable statutory and regulatory imperatives, the court may find that said agency has abused its discretion, as measured by the arbitrary or capricious test. Care and Protection of Isaac, 419 Mass. 602, 614 (1985). The most important and apparent DCF’s abuses of discretion in this case is by removing the child away from her best comfort place, where she has been nursed by her natural mother. DCF possessed the legal custody of the child in this case, and decided to entrust the child to be housed at the prison facility, where the child’s mother is also housed. DCF considered that, according to its rules, regulation and professional practices, it was its best decision, best placement and best interest of the child.

The lawsuit transpired against Department of Human Services in Mississippi because the system deserted the children. In this case, a young girl named Olivia Y was abused by her mother and the foster home. While taking her out the home at the age of three, the system continually neglected her. Department of Family Children Service failed to present Olivia with adequate medical and health support. “This case is alleged that Mississippi’s foster care system was failing adequately to protect children in its custody and provide necessary services in violation of their federal constitutional rights (www.mdhs.state.ms/olivia-y-lawsuit/”).

In the case we are asked to look at with the two little girls, the office was alerted due to neglect and issues of locking the children away in order to not have contact with them and avoid physical discipline. Again having a large amount of experience with this personally I can speak on several different instances in which the agency needs to be involved. My middle son, again who is not my biological child, has 4, soon to be 6 other half siblings by his biological mother. None of which she has custody of. They have all been removed by CPS. In her case it was for the use of narcotics, in and around the children as well as during pregnancy with 4 of the 6 children she has. She is currently pregnant with number 5 and 6 of her living children though technically they are 9 and 10. She has previously had two singleton abortions and an abortion of a set of twin girls. She has had 4 other boys removed now, ages 5, 3, and a set of twin boys who are 18 months. CPS has already stated that the children she is pregnant with now will be removed as well upon their birth. So in a case such as hers, she was given a year to prove to the courts that she wanted to work towards keeping her twins, they set up visitation for her at the cps office, as well as classes for her to attend, weekly drug screens, parenting classes, and set financial goals she had to meet.

She stated that Carlee was removed without affidavit, it was presented later, on Monday 09/19/16 with alleged old issues that DHS already has investigated and did not find evidence of them. She was inquiring why. GAO informed her that regarding the affidavit, is DHS considers that any child is at risk, will go and remove the kid and then within 24 hour will request the affidavit.

Ms. Henderson notes that during the assessment process Aunika was placed with her for an evening, but was then removed and placed into foster care. She reports being confused by this decision, as her nephew, the son of her fiancé, was able to stay in the placement at her home with her and his biological father, Glenn Stillmen. I discussed with Ms. Henderson the difference between placing a child with a legal parent, which I clarified with her, Mr. Stillman is, and placing a child with a relative, which would be what the placement between she and Aunika, would be. I clarified further, that with a relative placement there are certain certification requirements that must be reached in order for the child to reside there, while they are a ward of the courts and DHS Child Welfare is charged with their safety. She seemed to understand this and asserted that she would like to be a placement option for Aunika and that she would like information regarding doing this. At this time I

The second account of a changing stance toward children’s rights was evolution alongside women’s rights. Before this time, women and children were seen as unimportant under the law, whereas a father was given almost total control over all matters regarding his wife and children. If a father was violent or neglectful, society simply turned their shoulder to it. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, laws pertaining to the family system began to change. A new law recognized the equal rights of fathers and mothers with the mother’s rights reigning over the fathers in regards to the children. Also, the legal system began viewing children as important to the future of society, therefore “appropriate objects of the court’s

The Term topic I chose to research about is Child Welfare Services. This topic has a variety of different regulations and forms that makes this program run. Child Welfare Services have been around for quite some time and has been helping out as much as they are allowed to. This program has a time line of many important events that all build up the Child Welfare program.

There are a number of scholars who have written works that have shaped and are in alignment with my own views for research in the field of child welfare. The most eminent, however, are Gary Mallon, Alma Carten, Harriet Goodman, and Manny Gonzalez, for the simple fact that these authors and researchers have fostered a number of crucial methodologies that ensure a salutary ending and beginning of a successful life for a child welfare program participant. I am determined to research how the criminal justice and foster-care systems create synergy and how both systems affect children's ability to function as adults. I have chosen to focus on child welfare because after the immediate needs of both these systems are met the lasting effects mentally impacts families. The effects of a disenfranchised family can be crippling to a young child and examining where these systems fall short in child welfare deems to be my ultimate goal.

I talked about the children’s growth and happiness. The client stated that he was thankful that his children were safe, yet he did not agree with dynamics of the home for two children that came from a “straight couple” and had a mother and father. I encouraged the client to write a letter to the FCM to express his concerns directly to the FCM as DCS and the state finds the particular foster home to be an appropriate environment for the children as it is a state licensed foster home. I also discussed that the children have been in the home for the past 11 months and that they have become comfortable and adjusted into the home without major concerns. By asking the client several open-ended questions the client determined that it would likely be best for the children to remain in the home, he stated the importance of making changes in his life when he is released on October 4, 2016, and that he didn’t feel that he had family that was suitable to care for his children. The client reported that he had felt better after discussing the situation and his

The study consisted of 12 parents who foster children ages 2-8 years old. The high levels of conduct problems among children in the foster care system and the added cost to families, society and services, there is a pressing need to support foster parents. Providing foster care to children with increased emotional, behavioral, and medical needs requires not only time, but patience in dealing with the child’s demands. Foster parents often voice they are unprepared to meet demand of children with increased behavioral and emotional needs and adolescents in their care. This situation can result in placement disruption, which further strains foster care resources and has negative impacts on foster children and youth. The incidence of conduct disorder

Childcare proceedings can be extremely distressing and stressful. Our team understand that, and will help you to understand the legal process, the steps being taken and the timescales involved.

Child welfare is an issue that is vastly debated today in the United States. Regardless of party lines, socioeconomics, gender, religion, or race, it seems like everyone has a stake in shaping this issue. As such, progression in policy can be difficult and is often controversial. Throughout the 1900s, the United States Supreme Court heard and decided several cases that set forth precedent, giving more power to, and enabling, parents to raise their children as they see fit. As constituents, parents have a substantial say in what policy should and will be enacted. However, as individuals, parents do not have nearly as much power alone as they do in groups to influence public policy. Therefore, by banning together and creating interest groups, as well as participating in political parties, individuals who have an interest in child welfare, are more likely to make a substantial difference.