Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Agency!
This irony has only recently occurred to me...we in CPS work extensively with victims as well as perpetrators of domestic violence...I've wondered about the motivations of my colleagues at the "front end" of the agency (investigators, mostly women), and the frightening truth is...they possess the same power-and-control issues as do the perpetrators of DV...SCARY!...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Kids before Career
Few are surprised to hear a CPS-worker say “Child Protective Services is a nasty business!” But most would be surprised by the reasons why. The reason that CPS is a grueling, depressing and downright vile place to work has nothing to do with atrocities committed upon children. Thankfully, these are much more rare than most think. The primary reason CPS is so loathsome (for most) is the reality that neither parents’ rights nor what’s actually best for children are ever considered.
Once in a (great) while, someone remains in CPS that actually cares more about kids than career advancement. Most of us, those who share the majority societal views of justice and family sanctity, quit early on. However, some of us gluttons-for-punishment, or those who stay on for any of myriad reasons (none of which is job-satisfaction, of course) can either “go-along-to-get-along” or be outspoken about ideals that most Americans adore and, as a result, become pariahs.
Those of us that stay on, (us pariahs) quickly develop glass ceilings and therefore never attain positions where we might initiate change that would actually help children. Perhaps not becoming a “bureaucrat” is reward enough for this limited or truncated career path, however, as I frequently and in all seriousness utter to my superiors: “Sucks for the kids!”
That said; if those of us with more mainstream-American political proclivities always precipitously quit how might a government agency that does more harm than good ever change? If the public never hears the truth about CPS, how might it be expunged? Who will stop this monolith?
To oversimplify the equation (albeit, not by much) workers can either focus (often with the benefit of ignorance or cowardice) on being a “company-man” OR (with the benefit of copious self-study and research) focus on actually helping kids and families. To chose the latter and stay, fight the good fight, is to live under constant threat of termination and family upheaval. But hey, courage is doing what’s right even when it hurts, right?
Of course, a big-picture perspective, and outside self-study, is required to inform oneself towards effectively helping kids. The Child Welfare agency will never teach its minions the truth about removal usually being the worst thing these kids experience. There is too much money to be had from adoption, that most lucrative end-result for removed children. That most glorified culmination that corral’s the greatest possible federal subsidies.
Further, as Nancy Schaefer dared to utter prior to her execution: in order to maintain the (federal) funding-flow the agency needs fresh “merchandise.”
“Fresh merchandise” (i.e. removed children) is not acquired by CPS investigators that attempt to maintain families. It is only the overzealous, myopic and, of course blessedly ignorant and/or cowardly, CPS workers that believe they’re doing the child a favor by removing them from their non-abusive parents…(popularly known for years as “erring on the side of the child”)…that maintain a steady influx of “merchandise.”
These are your valuable (monetarily speaking) CPS caseworkers that the agency prizes so highly. This MO is what makes one a “company-man” (or, more likely, woman). This is what prevents a worker from acquiring a glass-ceiling and/or ending one’s career. If you chose not to prioritize the money over the kids…well…you’re done.
Who knew “Child Protective Services” was not a good place to work for those who hoped only to devote their careers to children.
So…from one who has sacrificed his/her career…and yet (so far) continues to fight the good fight from within CPS, I can tell you, every day could be my last. But, in the meantime, I am gratified by helping children one “starfish” at a time.
Once in a (great) while, someone remains in CPS that actually cares more about kids than career advancement. Most of us, those who share the majority societal views of justice and family sanctity, quit early on. However, some of us gluttons-for-punishment, or those who stay on for any of myriad reasons (none of which is job-satisfaction, of course) can either “go-along-to-get-along” or be outspoken about ideals that most Americans adore and, as a result, become pariahs.
Those of us that stay on, (us pariahs) quickly develop glass ceilings and therefore never attain positions where we might initiate change that would actually help children. Perhaps not becoming a “bureaucrat” is reward enough for this limited or truncated career path, however, as I frequently and in all seriousness utter to my superiors: “Sucks for the kids!”
That said; if those of us with more mainstream-American political proclivities always precipitously quit how might a government agency that does more harm than good ever change? If the public never hears the truth about CPS, how might it be expunged? Who will stop this monolith?
To oversimplify the equation (albeit, not by much) workers can either focus (often with the benefit of ignorance or cowardice) on being a “company-man” OR (with the benefit of copious self-study and research) focus on actually helping kids and families. To chose the latter and stay, fight the good fight, is to live under constant threat of termination and family upheaval. But hey, courage is doing what’s right even when it hurts, right?
Of course, a big-picture perspective, and outside self-study, is required to inform oneself towards effectively helping kids. The Child Welfare agency will never teach its minions the truth about removal usually being the worst thing these kids experience. There is too much money to be had from adoption, that most lucrative end-result for removed children. That most glorified culmination that corral’s the greatest possible federal subsidies.
Further, as Nancy Schaefer dared to utter prior to her execution: in order to maintain the (federal) funding-flow the agency needs fresh “merchandise.”
“Fresh merchandise” (i.e. removed children) is not acquired by CPS investigators that attempt to maintain families. It is only the overzealous, myopic and, of course blessedly ignorant and/or cowardly, CPS workers that believe they’re doing the child a favor by removing them from their non-abusive parents…(popularly known for years as “erring on the side of the child”)…that maintain a steady influx of “merchandise.”
These are your valuable (monetarily speaking) CPS caseworkers that the agency prizes so highly. This MO is what makes one a “company-man” (or, more likely, woman). This is what prevents a worker from acquiring a glass-ceiling and/or ending one’s career. If you chose not to prioritize the money over the kids…well…you’re done.
Who knew “Child Protective Services” was not a good place to work for those who hoped only to devote their careers to children.
So…from one who has sacrificed his/her career…and yet (so far) continues to fight the good fight from within CPS, I can tell you, every day could be my last. But, in the meantime, I am gratified by helping children one “starfish” at a time.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
PEOPLE BEFORE PAPER!
Not to be glib or oversimplify, but the reason children “known to CPS” die is because evil exists.
That said, the reason CPS* has very little chance to help protect children known to the agency is not so sensational or complicated as caseworker incompetence or indolence. Some, not all, deaths of children “known to CPS” occur because caseworkers miss the opportunity to protect children-at-risk because caseworkers are pushing papers instead.
Upon taking a job with Child Protective Services, it didn’t take me long to realize how to balance the always overburdened budget. Simply fire half the caseworkers and replace them with clerical workers because most of what caseworkers do is clerical.
Caseworkers can do clerical work, that’s fine (though not good stewardship of tax dollars). The problem is, clerical workers cannot do child protection. Who’s protecting the children if their caseworkers only have time to push papers?
For every minute that those charged with protecting America’s children are performing data input…or playing taxi-cab…or monitoring custody cases or cases open only to subsidize services…or covering visits for families that are not on your caseload…or attending to any number of other redundant and/or superfluous minutiae better done by non-casework staff, caseworkers lose a minute that could be spent protecting children.
When we read on the front page of our local newspaper about a “child known to CPS” dying, an oft-overlooked factor in the horrifying tragedy is that the caseworker -- who could have been resonating with the child’s and family’s case, actually reading the case file, connecting the dots of the family’s history and dynamic, interviewing credible collateral contacts, in effect: piecing together the big picture that reveals imminent danger -- was doing clerical work instead.
The ugly truth is that children always have and always will die at the hands of their parents, whether they are “known to CPS” or not…whether CPS even exists or not.
The important thing is that we not, as we typically have, let these well-publicized deaths, provide license for us to ruin the lives of thousands more children by “erring on the side of the child” and removing them from their less than imminently-dangerous homes. Instead, we need to focus more closely on the true, albeit mundane problems, including: caseworkers pushing papers, rather than protecting kids.
Children “known to CPS” die, in part, because those charged with protecting them were pushing papers instead.
_____________________________________________________
*Note: Although “Child Protective Service” agencies continuously change their name (one can only assume in an effort to fly below the radar) I will use the abbreviation “CPS” throughout as it is the most descriptive and recognizable of what the agency’s intention was originally.
That said, the reason CPS* has very little chance to help protect children known to the agency is not so sensational or complicated as caseworker incompetence or indolence. Some, not all, deaths of children “known to CPS” occur because caseworkers miss the opportunity to protect children-at-risk because caseworkers are pushing papers instead.
Upon taking a job with Child Protective Services, it didn’t take me long to realize how to balance the always overburdened budget. Simply fire half the caseworkers and replace them with clerical workers because most of what caseworkers do is clerical.
Caseworkers can do clerical work, that’s fine (though not good stewardship of tax dollars). The problem is, clerical workers cannot do child protection. Who’s protecting the children if their caseworkers only have time to push papers?
For every minute that those charged with protecting America’s children are performing data input…or playing taxi-cab…or monitoring custody cases or cases open only to subsidize services…or covering visits for families that are not on your caseload…or attending to any number of other redundant and/or superfluous minutiae better done by non-casework staff, caseworkers lose a minute that could be spent protecting children.
When we read on the front page of our local newspaper about a “child known to CPS” dying, an oft-overlooked factor in the horrifying tragedy is that the caseworker -- who could have been resonating with the child’s and family’s case, actually reading the case file, connecting the dots of the family’s history and dynamic, interviewing credible collateral contacts, in effect: piecing together the big picture that reveals imminent danger -- was doing clerical work instead.
The ugly truth is that children always have and always will die at the hands of their parents, whether they are “known to CPS” or not…whether CPS even exists or not.
The important thing is that we not, as we typically have, let these well-publicized deaths, provide license for us to ruin the lives of thousands more children by “erring on the side of the child” and removing them from their less than imminently-dangerous homes. Instead, we need to focus more closely on the true, albeit mundane problems, including: caseworkers pushing papers, rather than protecting kids.
Children “known to CPS” die, in part, because those charged with protecting them were pushing papers instead.
_____________________________________________________
*Note: Although “Child Protective Service” agencies continuously change their name (one can only assume in an effort to fly below the radar) I will use the abbreviation “CPS” throughout as it is the most descriptive and recognizable of what the agency’s intention was originally.
Monday, March 29, 2010
This just in from Everywhere, USA…
CPS WORKER FIRED FOR EXPOSING THE TRUTH*
Child Protective Services prides itself on striving to be “transparent” (probably lip-service)… This is what caseworkers who care are attempting to do when they go public with THE TRUTH.
A CPS caseworker published his article, “Child (or agency) Protection”
(http://familyrights.us/bin/white_papers-articles/child_or_agency_protection.htm ),
on the American Family Rights Association website last November.
Apparently “transparency” sounds good so long as no citizen knows enough to challenge it. When the truth emanates from within, that becomes a bit too close to home for those bureaucrats that have no intention of being transparent because they have everything to hide.
*actually the agency was not successful in its attempts to fire this caseworker (yet)…but, not for lack of trying!
Child Protective Services prides itself on striving to be “transparent” (probably lip-service)… This is what caseworkers who care are attempting to do when they go public with THE TRUTH.
A CPS caseworker published his article, “Child (or agency) Protection”
(http://familyrights.us/bin/white_papers-articles/child_or_agency_protection.htm ),
on the American Family Rights Association website last November.
Apparently “transparency” sounds good so long as no citizen knows enough to challenge it. When the truth emanates from within, that becomes a bit too close to home for those bureaucrats that have no intention of being transparent because they have everything to hide.
*actually the agency was not successful in its attempts to fire this caseworker (yet)…but, not for lack of trying!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Selling Point...(?)
I might as well mention right up front that this is not a blog that will accrue many friends and/or “followers.” This website is for those who can “Handle the Truth.” I fear there are few of those in either camp: CPS-apologists or CPS-haters.
The TRUTH about Child Protective Services lies somewhere between the contentious poles of these two camps, somewhere between “CPS is an honorable government entity that protects brutalized children” and “All CPS workers are closet sadists who hate children and families.” That is, this blog will piss off employees of CPS as well as those in the myriad and sundry Hate-CPS groups.
TRUTH has been my biggest nemesis since I joined CPS because no one seems to want to hear it. For those of you who can handle the truth, I think you can gain some valuable perspective from an insider that hates CPS but is helping people in spite of the bureaucracy. Or, better said, protecting children and families from the bureaucracy.
There are two types of people that flourish in CPS: obsequious bureaucrats with blind-ambition and myopic, sadistic megalomaniacs. If you can simply ignore the systemic truth in order to worship ambition or power, you might have a lengthy and satisfying career in CPS. The rest of us (those who share the mentality of about 90% of the US populace) leave, are fired or suffer the fools gladly in order to save some of the kids from them (whilst raising our blood pressure and shaving years off our lives!).
You will not receive any training about civil or constitutional rights, much less the deleterious effects of foster care, in “CPS-school.” TRUTH cannot be known, much less understood, unless an individual takes it upon him or herself to do independent research. Lord knows you WILL NOT learn how to maintain families at any point (even in a ten-year CPS career).
Advocating for pesky things like the United States Constitution or other inconvenient civil rights will make you a pariah. You see, other workers see you as a reminder that they’ve sold their soul.
And, alas, laws and rules are only effective if enforced. So, if you find yourself at the mercy of CPS, you may as well not cite them. Because no one, your caseworker, the judge, or even your own attorney, wants to be the one that helps send a kid home to his/her death. “CYA” is King! So, unfortunate or not, the ubiquitous advice that you simply humble yourself and cooperate is sound…at least it’s the most effective we have to date.
The TRUTH about Child Protective Services lies somewhere between the contentious poles of these two camps, somewhere between “CPS is an honorable government entity that protects brutalized children” and “All CPS workers are closet sadists who hate children and families.” That is, this blog will piss off employees of CPS as well as those in the myriad and sundry Hate-CPS groups.
TRUTH has been my biggest nemesis since I joined CPS because no one seems to want to hear it. For those of you who can handle the truth, I think you can gain some valuable perspective from an insider that hates CPS but is helping people in spite of the bureaucracy. Or, better said, protecting children and families from the bureaucracy.
There are two types of people that flourish in CPS: obsequious bureaucrats with blind-ambition and myopic, sadistic megalomaniacs. If you can simply ignore the systemic truth in order to worship ambition or power, you might have a lengthy and satisfying career in CPS. The rest of us (those who share the mentality of about 90% of the US populace) leave, are fired or suffer the fools gladly in order to save some of the kids from them (whilst raising our blood pressure and shaving years off our lives!).
You will not receive any training about civil or constitutional rights, much less the deleterious effects of foster care, in “CPS-school.” TRUTH cannot be known, much less understood, unless an individual takes it upon him or herself to do independent research. Lord knows you WILL NOT learn how to maintain families at any point (even in a ten-year CPS career).
Advocating for pesky things like the United States Constitution or other inconvenient civil rights will make you a pariah. You see, other workers see you as a reminder that they’ve sold their soul.
And, alas, laws and rules are only effective if enforced. So, if you find yourself at the mercy of CPS, you may as well not cite them. Because no one, your caseworker, the judge, or even your own attorney, wants to be the one that helps send a kid home to his/her death. “CYA” is King! So, unfortunate or not, the ubiquitous advice that you simply humble yourself and cooperate is sound…at least it’s the most effective we have to date.
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