Children’s and Youth Services Review
A Mother’s Opinion
As a mother who raised two children, I would love to give my opinion about how the “Children’s and Youth Services Departments” of the United States operate.
The experience that I have is in the state of Pennsylvania, but I am sure other states might operate in the same ways. How can one be sure these people are doing what is right by the children that seriously need help?
Researching what they consider as “child abuse” and how it is proper to correct a child is one of the things I will reveal in my article.
I think you will find that this particular department of the court system needs improvement in order to provide our children with the best possible protection from any and all abuse!
What IS Child Abuse?
People need to recognize REAL “child abuse” and report the abuse to the proper authorities. Many time’s child abuses go unreported because people do not want to get involved, feeling it is not their responsibility.
If NOT YOU, then WHO IS responsible for protecting a child from an abusive situation?
Writing this article is going to bring up some bad memories for me. But this week I have been observing another case of “child abuse” due to children raising children in my own opinion.
Someone needs to investigate what is happening with our society today as a whole. Things that happen today did not happen when I was younger. What is the cause of all these despicable problems?
Has life gotten to the point where people no longer care about each other? It seems each generation that has been produced since the millennials keep getting worse.
Children are no longer considered important to their parents because everything is all about their own feelings. They are no longer allowed to be children they must grow up immediately. Playing and having fun is no longer a necessity for them.
Responsibilities are not taught anymore to a child they are left to their own devices to make due. Sure the parents might take the time when it is convenient for them to feed, bathe, and take care of their needs but they never take the time to play.
Going outside to play for children today is unheard-of, the parents stick them in front of a television with video games to occupy their time. This is also a babysitter so the parents do not have to interact with the child.
Pedophiles run rampant today thanks to our society not watching our own children. When I was a child every parent in the neighborhood knew who you were. They knew your parents and treated you as their own correcting you if you misbehaved.
Anytime you were out and about in the neighborhood getting into trouble not only did you get corrected by the mother of where you were,
But once you got home you were in for another round of discipline from your own mom and then again dad when he got home from work! Possibly this makes the discipline of how parents handle things today seem a bit severe but it DID WORK!
However, today even the teachers or other adults in a school environment are not allowed to correct a child. Parents do not think that another adult should be able to CORRECT their children.
We have now created a society of delinquents who find themselves privileged without suffering consequences for their actions. By NOT holding them responsible for their actions they no longer have any respect for themselves or others.
Do not take all of this the WRONG WAY children need discipline today in the form of proper discipline just like all the rest of the generations that came before them were raised.
That is not to say they deserve to be abused! A proper spanking is in order when a child is misbehaving letting them know there are consequences to all the improper actions they perform. It does not mean to beat them to a pulp!
Recognizing the difference between correcting our children the proper way whether with a spanking or a smack on the hand for touching things that can hurt them or does not belong to them requires discipline.
Until the responsible parents or grandparents take the time to teach all parents the proper ways of correcting the children of today this is only going to keep growing to outrageous proportions. Creating a society of selfish delinquent people.
Reporting Child Abuse
How does one report suspected child abuse or neglect? You can report any case that you SUSPECT a child is being abused you do not need actual proof of such!
Anyone can report suspected child abuse or neglect. Reporting abuse or neglect can protect a child and get help for a family.
State Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Numbers
Contact your local child protective services office or law enforcement agency. Depending on the state in which you reside calling the local law enforcement can get you in touch with the correct agency to help you.
Child Help National Child Abuse Hotline
Call or text 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). Professional crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources.
In the event you may not know this even if you are one of the following that makes it mandatory that you make the call, I have included the following:
Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
All U.S. States and territories have laws identifying persons who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Mandatory reporters may include social workers, teachers, and other school personnel, childcare providers, physicians, and other health-care workers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers. Some states require any person who suspects child abuse or neglect to report.
What To Report About Child Abuse?
Provide a complete, honest account of what you observed that led you to suspect the occurrence of child abuse or neglect. Any reasonable suspicion is sufficient.
What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
Learn how to identify and report child abuse or neglect and refer children who may have been maltreated. This fact sheet provides information on the legal definitions, different types, and signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.
What Happens After A Report On Child Abuse?
After you make a report, it will be sent to child protective services (CPS). When CPS receives a report, the CPS worker reviews the information and determines if an investigation is needed.
The CPS worker may talk with the family, the child or others to help determine what is making the child unsafe. The CPS worker can help parents or other caregivers get services, education, or other assistance.
THIS IS WHERE MY OPINION BECOMES COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS DONE BY CPS!
Anytime Child Protective Services receives a report reviewing the information they should not determine IF an investigation is needed! Whoever took the time to make that report deserves the assurance that an investigation will occur.
The safety of a child is at stake who are they to make a determination that an investigation is NOT required if someone feels a child is being abused or neglected without doing an investigation?
Do they have a crystal ball to look into and make that determination? NO, therefore it is a necessity to go check on the situation that has been called into them.
Child Protective Services personnel do not have the right to make a decision based on a telephone call to the family without going to make sure that the child is safe.
Making that telephone call to the family only alerts them to the fact they have been reported for the abuse to the child/children giving them the opportunity to make things right prior to a visit to their home.
This was exactly what happened in a case that I took the time to report. The children were being abused and neglected by the parents, but because CPS called them making an appointment to investigate all was corrected prior to them arriving.
The children, in this case, did not have proper food in the house, both were in diapers at the time and the man refused to purchase diapers for the children they cost too much money.
Both little girls were always left unattended in a room with a lock on the outside of the door and they were fed like a dog by him placing food in a bowl on the floor for them.
These children were not permitted in the house like normal children to run and play. Their mother was being abused so she could not really help them much. She did what she was told never disagreeing with him.
They were rarely bathed because that was a waste of water. The oldest was not his blood child and he would throw her around like a rag doll by her hair screaming at her constantly.
Considering the telephone call received from CPS prior to the visit he did grocery shopping making sure there was food in the house, the children were bathed and had diapers available when CPS arrived.
CPS then determined there was not a case of child abuse and dropped it. I witnessed this with my own two eyes the things that were going on inside this house!
I used to take the children as often as I could to keep them from being abused after the report to CPS the parents no longer would let me take the children and keep them for a couple of days to give them a break from the abuse.
This is one case that breaks my heart because of how CPS works their cases, I could give you a couple of other accounts of child abuse and neglect that I took the time to report but they were unfounded as well.
Seriously, I cannot understand how CPS who was founded to protect children can operate under expectations they are going to catch these adults committing the abuse when they call before meeting with the parents?
In Conclusion
In all, I reported three cases of child abuse that I knew were real cases. All three were unfounded due to the telephone call prior to the CPS agent going to check on the children.
I witnessed the abuse in all three of the cases that I reported, but it did no good. Worse than all of this I now know of a couple of more cases of child abuse and will not even make the call.
“Why?” you are asking, one needs to have faith in a system that works to protect our children from the real abusers that are out there.
I have no faith in this system any longer and felt that writing this review about them was necessary to bring it to everyone’s attention in the world.
By doing so, hopefully, the system will change and make it impossible for the abusers to continue because they will no longer be forewarned that the CPS will be coming to check their home.
In so many of these cases, they let them go unfounded instead of getting the parents the help needed to stop the abuse. If only one child can be saved from abuse thanks to this article I will be forever grateful that I took the time to share.
I appreciate hearing from all my readers in the form of comments, suggestions, or questions they might have, please leave these in the space provided below. I answer these usually within 24 hours.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article today, please bookmark my site to come back to in the future there will be other articles added that might interest you or others you know.
Best wishes always,
Susan
Where Can I Find Additional Resources?
Child Welfare Information Gateway offers resources about child abuse and neglect.
Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect
Presents information about promoting well-being, creating supportive communities, prevention programs, and evidence-based practice with the purpose of reducing the risk of maltreatment.
It offers resources on child abuse and neglect, including definitions, identification of signs and symptoms, statistics and data, risk factors, perpetrators, the impact on individuals and society, and child fatalities.
Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect
Features resources on reporting suspected child abuse and neglect; intake, investigation, and assessment of reports; addressing trauma; and collaborative responses.
Finding Help With a Personal Situation
Links to additional resources and organizations that can assist in specific issues individuals may be facing.
How You Can Help Someone Who Is Being Abused or Neglected
It provides children and youth with information about what child abuse and neglect are and what to do if they are concerned about the safety and well-being of another child.
