The child welfare system is inundated with cases – some attorneys juggling over a hundred cases each, case managers and CPS Investigators overwhelmed, often unable to truly connect with the children or families they're meant to serve. This situation is not just unfortunate; it's unsustainable. It's like witnessing the Titanic not just hit the iceberg but also flood uncontrollably, while WE, the community and legislators stand by as critical observers. The hard truth that we must confront is this: CPS doesn't proactively seek out families to investigate. They are responding to US – the community. They are flooded with OUR calls of families living in poverty, with OUR demands for action. And when they can't keep up, we call again, relentlessly. This isn't a mere departmental failure; it's a societal one. Where do we draw the line between our responsibilities and those of the government? The more I ponder this, the more I am convinced that the challenges within CPS are a convenient scapegoat that masks the larger, more complex issues at play. These issues are rooted in our communities, in policies, in our collective attitudes, and in our approach to supporting each other. We cannot hope to reform or transform our way out of this crisis through the system. What we need is a fundamental shift in our societal perspective. We need to transition from a culture of judgment and surveillance to one of support and prevention. The solution lies in a community-based approach, where we all take part in nurturing and protecting vulnerable families. Only then can we hope to alleviate the overwhelming burden on our child welfare system and create a more compassionate and effective approach to supporting families in their time of need. #familywellbeing #childwelfare #justhelp #community
Jadwiga Leigh
9mo
I couldn’t agree more. We work on the fringes of statutory social work, supporting families in the CPS. We see social workers responding to referral after referral from family members about members in their own family because they can’t have ‘the conversation’ with their family. The same with teachers. Social workers can’t ignore these concerns, they have to respond. Those referring in think that referring in means they’ve played their part and kept the child safe- but actually it creates more tension, within the family and or the school that the family’s children attend. Sometimes all that is needed is a good supportive conversation, using good supportive communication, that doesn’t shy away from the issues, but names them and helps structure a way through them & while that can seem tough, it is more helpful than referring in for someone else to deal with it because you’ve raised your concerns & the parent became defensive. It’s about the way this part is done. This is what we need more of to help rebalance the system. Good communication. I know this is not the only thing, but it’s a good start.
Christa Miller
9mo
I've been thinking a lot about retributive vs. restorative justice and how it seems that the culture of judgment and surveillance you mention, is really more about scapegoating parents and families for values or traits or challenges we don't want to see in ourselves. To shift from that to a culture of support and prevention, we'd have to get way more drastically uncomfortable than most people are willing to be, especially at this point in time. I'm not saying it isn't possible! Just -- "just" -- that there are these deep individual and social wounds that lead us to "other" others so we can feel good about the choices we make, and those are the things we have to heal -- to be willing to heal -- before we can shift culture. No idea how to do this, as my own healing process has been incredibly difficult and lengthy. Well worth it! Just not particularly aligned with our society as currently structured. There's a lot to overcome to get to this point.
Eva Horner
9mo
So well said Sarah and I could not agree with you more. Until that happens we will continue to have a chaotic stand-off, with families and our communities paying the price. 💔 People like you and I will continue to do as much as we can to create change and fuel hope, but it will always be harder than it should until all within the communities take part to nurture families and prevent harm.
Gregory Jones
9mo
We have completely let entire System around the World 🌎 get out of Control and now we PANIC to fix it. I have an idea 💡. LET'S START AGAIN WITHOUT BEAURACRATS AND CONSULTANTS.
Danielle Gletow
9mo
Alllll of this!!! If we do not do more to support kids and families and stop overfunding a broken system that has been proven to do more harm than good, we won’t ever heal this problem.
Joshua Schiffer
9mo
YES!!!! We need MORE and we need it EARLIER!! We cannot afford to wait until the problem manifests, we need to educate and empower families to be the best parents possible through welcoming support, not DFCS threats and State intervention. Lets give parents reasons and TOOLS to be the best families they can be.
One shift that needs to take place is in the power dynamic. Right now, legal custody is awarded to the State (and the threat of same dominates many or most "prevention services".) What we need to do is abolish the practice. Awarding legal custody to the State makes as much sense as awarding it to General Motors or Microsoft.
Alisha Brown
9mo
Imagine the world that would be if we all collectively believed this and our actions matched!
Bea M.
9mo
"This isn't a mere departmental failure; it's a societal one.: EXACTLY!
Proximity Design Studio / Imagination Factory / Founder / Podcast Host / Invest In Parents / Keep Families Together
9moWe scream for change yet we are the ones folding the system. If we knew that we belong to one another we would respond to one another’s need for justice rather than judge and punish one another.