A GRANDMOTHER’S SAD TALE OF GRIEF
NOBLELY LAWSON: PARENTS UPSET AFTER DSS WON’T LET HEALED BABY GO HOME WITH THEM
JEREMIAH SWAFFORD: AUTOPSY: CHILD ABUSE KILLED 2-YEAR-OLD
NORTH CAROLINA DEPUTY FALSELY CHARGED
FAMILY REACTS TO POLICE DEPARTMENT WOES
RECORDS SOUGHT IN SPRING LAKE CHILD’S DEATH
MAN OFFERED ADOPTED SON FOR SEX, AUTHORITIES SAY
CARLY SAWYER: GIRL HAD BEEN SUBJECT OF CUSTODY FIGHT, RELATIVE SAYS
WHERE IS JOSHUA WILLIAM SMITH??????
AUTOPSY: GARNER NORTH CAROLINA TODDLER WAS VICTIM OF VIOLENCE
GIRL WAS MOLESTED WHILE IN FOSTER CARE
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
ANOTHER NORTH CAROLINA CHILD IS DEAD “WITH DSS INVOLVEMENT”
“IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING AT DSS…YOU’RE EXAGGERATING
COMPLETELY IGNORED BY LANIER CANSLER
A CLOSER LOOK AT LANIER CANSLER’S EMAILS
LANIER CANSLER, IS HE DOING HIS JOB OR NOT, YOU BE THE JUDGE.
DSS SHOWS 2 YEARS OF ABUSE CLAIMS ON CHILD
FAMILY SEEKS ANSWERS IN CHILD’ DEATH
FUNERAL FOR SHELBY TODDLER THURSDAY
MORE ON: NORTH CAROLINA CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES FAILS ANOTHER CHILD
NORTH CAROLINA CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES FAILS ANOTHER CHILD
WAKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA CHILD ABUSE DEATH
LANIER CANSLER APPOINTED NORTH CAROLINA’S NEW SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
TV JUDGE OT HEAR LOCAL LAWSUIT
MECKLENBURG DSS AUDIT/SPENDING HABITS/MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES RECORDS REQUESTED BY WIMMER’S ATTORNEY
GIRL’S FATHER WAS INVESTIGATED FOR ABUSE IN OTHER STATES
WILKES COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA CPS SUPERVISOR’S NEW COURT DATE
THREATS MADE TO ME BY CPS WORKERS?
WAKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA CHILD ABUSE DEATH
AMERICA’S DEAD AND “MISSING” ADOPTED CHILDREN
LANIER CANSLER APPOINTED NORTH CAROLINA’S NEW SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC DSS WORKER INVESTIGATED IN LARGEST FRAUD CASE IN YEARS
WILKES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SUPERVISOR ARRESTED
Wilkes County Department of Social Services Failure to Protect My Stepdaughter
“SHE AIN’T NO ROBIN HOOD…SOCIAL WORKER ‘ALLEDGEDLY” ROBS FROM THE POOR TO GIVE TO HERSELF”
I will continue to add to this page, there are many children’s stories that I have not published on this blog yet.
12 Comments
I need some insight,as to why I can’t get dss in Harnett County North carolina, to let me take my neices and nephews, untilthe investigatin they are doingis over!! they will notreturn calls, Iam a good Citizen,never beenin any type of trouble except for speeding ticket…
What do they plan to do withthose children ?? sell them??
They are actually suppose to do kinship placement first, so this is definately something that you need to look into, start with my page on here titled NC information which has a link to the laws and DSS manuals and I will see if I can find you some court cases to go with.
You can also try a google search North Carolina kinship care, or placement….Good luck.
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/csm-60/man/CS1412-04.htm#TopOfPage
CPS In-Home Services social workers need to identify extended family members early and assess them for their capacity and willingness to care for the child. These support persons can be accessed to support the child and family while the child is in the home. Knowing which family members can best meet the child’s needs becomes particularly important when the child must be removed.
8. Allowing the family to be involved in placement decision making when out-of-home care of the child is needed reflects a family-centered approach. It emphasizes the importance of parental involvement and facilitates the development of the casework relationship. Parents who are involved in out-of-home placement planning are usually less likely to disrupt, sabotage, or interrupt the placement. The plan for out-of-home placement should include the family’s ideas on options for care if the child should be removed from the home. It then becomes the social worker’s responsibility to assess any placement resource/safety resource, if out-of-home placement appears imminent, to ensure that it is a safe and nurturing environment for the child.
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/csm-60/man/CS1412-07.htm#TopOfPage
B. When Parents Are Unable to Demonstrate Their Ability to Provide a Safe Home
During the provision of In-Home Services there may be times when parents are unable to demonstrate their ability to provide a safe home for their children. A discussion should be held with the family regarding placement options for the children. Every effort should be made to allow the family an opportunity to identify “kin” that would be willing and able to accept placement of the children as a safety resource. Please refer to Chapter IV, Section 1201 for a discussion regarding kinship assessments.
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/csm-10/man/CSs1201c1-02.htm#P20_298
4. Any child removed from his or her home shall be placed in the least restrictive, most family-like setting in which special needs may be met, within close proximity to his or her family and with relatives when appropriate.
If placement with relatives or other kin is determined to be not in the best interest of the child, a foster family home is considered the least restrictive environment.
This is interesting….
http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/archives/A/hhs1539.html
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/csm-10/man/CSs1201c4-05.htm
1. Placement with Relatives and Kin (Kinship Care)
MRS and System of Care principles instruct County Departments of Social Services to shall acknowledge and support the importance of the family in meeting the needs of its members. When children cannot be assured safety in their own homes, the best alternative resource can often be found within the extended family and other “kin.” Kinship is the self-defined relationship between two or more people and is based on biological, legal, and/or strong family-like ties. Most people have loosely structured kinship networks that are available in times of difficulty. Parents and guardians facing the risk of child placement should be given a reasonable opportunity to identify and come together with their kinship network to plan for and provide safety, care, nurture, and supervision for the child. The agency has the responsibility of assessing the suggested resource to assure that the child will receive appropriate care.
Informal kinship care arrangements are commonplace in times of shared crisis for many families. Such arrangements are most effective when other members of the family and community resources provide emotional and tangible support to the care provider. When a DSS becomes involved in a family, informal kinship supports may not exist and the family may be too embarrassed or angry to seek such support. For instance, during a child protective services investigative assessment, a DSS may require the parent to choose and arrange for a temporary placement for their child in order to protect the child from further harm. Agency staff may need to help the temporary care provider locate and develop support and resources needed in caring for the child. In addition, the agency shall remain involved with the family providing placement and the birth family until the child’s ongoing safety is assured and the placement is legally secure or until the DSS files petition for custody. These informal arrangements are NOT legally secure for the child or for the caregiver.
One critical piece of information for the relative or kin considering taking the child into their home has to do with the potential for adoption down the road, even if that is not the plan at the time. If the child has never been in the custody of a county DSS before being adopted, Adoption Assistance is not an option. There have been situations where DSS has been involved with a child and family and the parents place the child with a safety resource and DSS never has custody. If that relative or kin later adopts the child, they cannot receive Adoption Assistance. According to policy, DSS should not close the case until legal security for the child has been established through reunification with the parents or custody or guardianship to the relative or kin. It is very difficult for relatives to understand that DSS may be involved and not have custody; therefore it is critical because of future implications as described above, that this be made very clear when working with relatives.
At other times, DSS files a petition for abuse or neglect and obtains a non-secure custody order. At the adjudication/disposition, DSS does not ask for custody but recommends custody to the relative or kinship caregiver. Adoption Assistance later would be an option because the child was in the custody of a DSS, though briefly.
In any of these situations, these distinctions are not readily apparent. At the first conversations with relatives or kin about having the child placed with them, either by the parent with DSS involvement, or by the DSS through court order, all options must be explained to the caregiver.
This should occur during the kinship care assessment, as well as ongoing when changes in the planning occur. In this manner, the relative or kinship caregiver can make informed decisions.
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/csm-10/man/CSs1201c4-05.htm
b. Legal Preference for Placement with Relatives
County Departments of Social Services shall strive to strengthen and preserve the family. In keeping with Federal law, North Carolina law and policy require that, when a juvenile must be removed from his home, the County DSS Director shall give preference to an adult relative or other kin when determining placement, provided that (1) the placement is assessed by the agency to be in the best interests of the child in terms of both safety and nurture; and (2) the prospective caregiver and the living situation are assessed and determined to meet relevant standards. The Juvenile Court is required to ask at each hearing, including non-secure custody, adjudication, disposition, review, and permanency planning, whether or not a relative is willing and able to provide proper care and supervision for the child and, if so, to order placement with that relative if the home is assessed to be appropriate. See the Instructions for Kinship Care Assessment form (dss-5204ins).
When relatives and/or other kin are identified as potential caregivers for children at risk, the agency shall assess the suitability of those resources. Kinship care may be considered as the primary plan and/or as an alternative permanent plan if the primary plan is found to be inappropriate. The social worker should, therefore, address the issue of available and appropriate relatives in each court report, including the results of assessments of those relatives.
When necessary and appropriate to the needs of the child, the agency shall make efforts to provide or procure reasonable assistance to help families and kin meet assessment and/or licensing standards so that they can provide care for the child. When possible, child support should be paid directly to the caregiver, involving IV-D Child Support Enforcement as needed. Potential caregivers shall be informed of available agency resources, such as child-only Work First grants, subsidized guardianship assistance, 2medical coverage, day care, and food stamps. When needed, families shall also be informed of any available community resources for free or low-cost clothing or furniture, minor home repairs, or other such incidental needs that may unnecessarily prohibit their being approved to provide care for children. If the kinship caregiver wishes to be licensed as a foster parent, the agency is required to determine whether or not the family meets state licensing requirements3, thus enabling them to receive foster care assistance payments, Medicaid, and other benefits. Since foster care placement, even with licensed relatives, is not a permanent plan, the kinship care providers should be assessed for their interest and ability to adopt the child or to assume guardianship or legal custody.
BE PREPARED FOR THE ASSESSMENT:
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/forms/dss/dss-5204ins.pdf
Preference for realavie placement
http://www.abanet.org/child/summary-memo.pdf
Good luck getting placement and keeping it. DSS in NC is ALL about the “reunification”, cause it is “best for the family.” And if they do get placed with you, and you get told you get full custody and parent only has supervised visitation, DO NOT let them skip out of town on you like they did us, and quit doing reports and such, cause we almost were charged with comtempt of court. And when they were supenoed (sorry misspelled), they claimed they had no complaints and had no idea why the child shouldn’t be returned to the parents, llke we had made everything up. Sorry I’m venting.
I don’t know if this is a story you would like to help with, but I think it is important. This story needs the attention across America and it involves the Corruption of DSS. I wish there was some type of phone line set up for recipients to call anonymously to let you hear their stories. I understand that A CHANGE IS NEEDED…but sometimes the lower class need help in many areas that they are being targeted…Especially when they don’t have the money to fight back. Many hopes for justice are sent to and placed in the hands of individuals such as yourself who wants to make things happen by exposing the truth behind corruption in government agencies. I would like to remain anonymous for the moment, but asking that someone look into or investigate the practices of these agencies. The agency I am referring to is: The Department of Social Services located in Statesville, North Carolina.
There is more to this story, but I would like to sum up parts of it to give you an idea of what’s going on.
Read this story:
Yes. The corruption of DSS does exist and it seems like attorneys (yours an theirs) are in on it together. People…YOUR RIGHTS DO NOT MATTER. Where is Washington, DC when you need them? What happen to the laws that the Federal Government put into place that are supposed to be followed by different agencies including DSS? READ: A Mom got a letter from DSS saying she was being investigated for Children Medicaid Fraud. She complied with everything…thinking she was doing the right thing. She even showed where she had been calling in to report her income to the DSS Worker. The mom did not place herself on the form as “working now” per the question on the form because she was out on sick leave. The DSS Investigator told the mother that the DSS Workers did not have to have to log in reported income for the Children Medicaid. The mother was told there was an overpayment less than $1500 due to premiums owed. The mother immediately stopped the Children Medicaid after being told the forms were filled out incorrectly. The mother even was told that the overpayment could have been arranged to be paid back. The mother started sending in payments for the overpayment. The mother asked to speak with a supervisor, but was told over the phone by the supervisor that whatever the investigator says, the supervisor was going to agree with the investigator. Does this not constitute rights being violated? You would think so. Well…the DSS investigator told this mother that the laws are on the DSS side and the recipients needed to talk to their legislative to get laws changed. What?? The mother became distraught. The DSS worker and the DSS Worker Supervisor informed this mother that she would not be arrested or go to jail, but needed to pay for the overpayments & court fees at the courthouse. Needless to say the mother believed the DSS Worker plus Supervisor. The mother was told by the DSS Investigator the mother would be contacted by DSS to let them know when she would take a warrant on the mother so that the mother could pick up papers at the police station with her summons to go to court. The DSS Investigator told the woman that when the mother picks up the court papers for the mother to contact the DSS Investigator and let the DSS know when the court date was…and ….the DSS Investigator will go to court with the mother and help the mother out by asking the court to allow the mother to pay the overpayment plus court cost plus get a prayer for judgment…ONLY IF THE MOTHER PLEADS GUILTY AND NOT ASK FOR A COURT TRIAL. The mother knew something was wrong and contacted an attorney. The attorney told the mother to pay him $500 to speak with DSS on behalf of the mother. The mother paid the attorney. The attorney was told about the evidence the mother had showing proof of the mother reporting income. The attorney told the mother he did not need this information unless it went to trial, but wanted the mother bank records or w-2s which was irrelevant to the mother’s case. The case was not about the mother saying she never received income because the income was reported…According to DSS Investigator, the case was about the mother not putting on the form she was working for a company, but out on sick leave. The mother sent evidence to the attorney, who DID NOT USE THE EVIDENCE when he spoke to the DSS Investigator. The attorney had a meeting with the DSS Investigator. Attorney told the mother that the DSS Investigator would not bulge and wanted to set a date for the mother to go to the magistrate to meet DSS Investigator for a warrant application. The attorney told the mother he and the DSS Investigator came up with an agreement that the mother could go ahead plead guilty and DSS would be sympathetic and ask the judge to allow the woman a prayer for judgment because the only reason the mother was being charged with something was because it was a bureaucratic decision…it was DSS job to do so. The mother questioned this act by the attorney. The attorney told the mother that he would go to court with her for additional fee of $500 and if the mother would not plead guilty and accept the offer, the fee would be over $6000. When the mother said she was going to the media. The attorney told the mother the media could not really do anything.
Needless to say the mother contacted Washington, DC. Washington confirmed “NO” they don’t have certain jurisdiction over any state and states are allowed to change certain rules. The mother question how the United States could allow states to override a FEDERAL regulation. Washington told the mother that she could contact the state legislature or even Washington Legislature to voice concerns, but there is nothing to stop the mother from being arrested or any other person from being arrested if someone takes a warrant on them. The mother question how could someone just take a warrant out on someone. Washington answered that was what going to trial to prove otherwise is for. The mother does not believe in the system any more. She feels as though something needs to be done to stop CORRUPTION in DSS. This needs to be open to the public to ask how many others have gone through a similar situation as this as well as situations like others. It’s time to expose the truth and start making the government aware that DSS has ENTIRELY TOO MUCH CONTROL…and…DSS NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS when they don’t follow Federal Laws.
Unlike most individuals, this mother recorded her meetings and conversations with the DSS Investigator. The attorney told the mother DSS says the mother made a statement, but recorded conversations prove otherwise…TOO BAD THIS MOTHER HAS TO GO TO JAIL FIRST BEFORE PRESENTING HER EVIDENCE! Let me ask this…Shouldn’t recipients be allowed to take a warrant application out on DSS Workers for giving the recipients false information or for misleading recipients or better yet openly lying to recipients? Maybe if the DSS Workers were treated the way they treated recipients, that it would make DSS Workers think twice about FALSELY ACCUSING, FALSELY DOCUMENTING, AND MUCH MORE about recipients and other accused individuals.
My question is…
WHERE IS OBAMA NOW?
DSS….Yes, I agree it’s a joke. I reported a scarry situation to them about my grandkids, 13, 11,9, swimming in dad and step-mom’s inground cement pool…at midnight, with 5 of their friends. Dad was in the house and Step-mommie had gone to bed. Scarry that there are no safety devices anywhere around the pool and where were all the adults of these other kids? Anyway, DSS investigated and ALL WAS ROSEY SWEET OVER THERE and DSS told them I reported them. Great confidentiality. And there a WHOLE LOT OF OTHER STUFF Re: DSS attorney Paul Freeman, which has been going on for a year and a half. Can PAUL FREEMAN represent dad in court on a child custody matter as a private attorney? Isn’t that a conflict? He has delayed this case forEVER…We are sickened that the children are STUCK. I have documented everything. Including how Freeman has NOT written the order the Judge gave him in APRIL, 2009. STILL WAITING…..
You can send any reply to my email….
Graham County won’t let me take my son out of state until the case is closed. There is no court ordered custody and he was taken from him mom because of drug accusations and domestic violence. There is a safety agreement with his mom and child services. Can I take him home with me even though the case isnt closed?
Why would DSS suggest I go for custody? I am the paternal grandmother. They have been involved with the mother again for 6 months. Provided in home services and mother has been not compliant. She has had a few incidents of domestic violence and now DSS will only allow mother 1 supervised visit/wk due to the last dv my grandson was there for the weekend. They said they are working on a petition but then the try to get me to get custody. I don’t understand. They claim the will end up doing away with her parental rights why are they moving so slow on this? They have him in “my Care” as they call it but nothing legal of formal not even formal kinship care. They know the mother has servere mental illness and drug problems. The mother has another child as well 11 months old that they have in “the care” of the other paternal grandmother. I am very confused as to why dss does not protect the children and get custody and let us grandmothers raise the kids legally?
my seven year old son was kidnapped by cps while i was at work since cps involvment my son recieved a skull fracture while in the care of his mother who i warned cps of how unstable she is and i was very discriptive, mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, etc.and that my child would be hurt if not worse if left alone with my son, one of her many drug addicted boyfriends that she only new for 2 or 3 weeks dropped my son on his head causing a skull fracture and then she let him go to sleep when he obviously needed medical attention my son was 4 years old at the time. my son has been in foster care for almost 3 years now they have told me and my son that he would be returned to me and they did but 3 weeks later they took him again saying that he said he had seen his mother when in fact he had not, they proved he had not seen his mother but still did not return him to me. now that they helped me lose my job of almost 4 years they are moving forward to terminate my parental rights. i cannot afford an attorney and my son wants to be with me and i want him back. they will be terminating my rights for christmas this year these people have all but destroyed my life. can anybody do anything?
I’m the “step-mommy” that Mrs.Gloria Burchfield speaks of in her slanderous ranting, what she didn’t tell you was that those kids were in big trouble, they didn’t have permission and were only out there for 15 mins before gettin caught and being grounded. What really needs to be investigated is the fraud her and her daughter have tried to commit on the state of IL, the state of NC and on my husband and myself for back child support for a period of time that the kids and his ex-wife were living with and being supported by my husband entirely! DSS put a stop to it thank God for Real Justice! Be sure to tell the whole story next time Gloria. How about telling these nice people how you cut me off and slammed on your brakes trying to get me to hit you and your 10 year old granddaughter in the back seat of my car… I just wonder how you would have felt had she been hurt or God forbid worse??????