Why Do Too Many People Bash Child Protective Services ??

[serve_the_people]

I work with the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Families, and I and my good hearted co workers are often extremely frustrated that the media time and time and time again writes artices describing our organization as being incompetent and ineffective at protecting children. The articles that certain newspapers (I won't mention names) write are filled with numerous factual errors and opinions that are devoid of logical thinking and evidence.

 

The newspapers like to pump out the extremely rare stories of children being abused while in Ministry care, while ignoring the fact that well over 97% of children in Ministry care receive care that is outstanding, professional, and deserving of praise. They take out isolated mistakes, and make them sound like they are the norm, when in fact they are nothing but isolated mistakes.

 

It seems that media outlets, both in this province and accross North America, get a kick out of bashing child protective services. The workers who work for this organizations are highly educated (almost all hold atleast a Masters degree), professional, caring, and very intelligent.

 

I think that the real reason why they bash the child welfare agencies is because they feel guilty that someone is actually doing something to help chlidren while they are doing nothing. I remember when I worked for World Vision lots of people would come up to me and rant about World Vision - But when I would ask them what they were doing to help starving children around the world, they would reply they weren't doing anything. It seems that those who do nothing to help other people enjoy bashing those who are helping other people. That is why most media people get a kick out of putting down the child welfare agencies, because they feel guilty that they are doing nothing to protect children, and that is why they run articles that are illogical, unsupported by evidence, biased, and generally inaccuarate. Does anyone else have any other thoughts ??

[doyathink]

I work in this field and to tell you the truth, I haven't seen this. As a whole, we are pretty well respected....here anyway.

[rose2summer]

I think that the news really thrives on negative stories, as no one would be interested if they were all positive and hunky dory happy.

 

Unfortunately it's at the expense of your agency and yourself.

 

I would try not to take it as a personal attack, but moreso that the news wants something to grab the interest of watchers/readers.

 

I highly respect child protective services and think they do a wonderful job.

 

I had considered being a social worker at one time and I think it's great how you all reach out to those in need of your assistance.

 

Hugs, Rose

[Mythical_Suicide]

I couldnt agree more with what Rose2Summer said, who would want to watch a news story if the headline wasn't "Child being abused in CPS care" and so on.. It's ridiculously sad but its reality. Please dont be so hard on yourself and know that I respect you guys and I know you guys try to do the best to protect my son and all the other children out there. Keep your head up and keep doing what youre doing!

[Aurian]

I live in BC, and I read those papers. I agree, they're quite inflammatory and I have no idea what the "real" story is. They really do make it sound like the entire department is full of incompetants. Thing is... if things really were that bad, why would it be allowed to continue? I guess the media just loves scary stories. Its sad that they never run good stories or are more factual about things.

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

I knew a woman who's baby sitter went AWOL one night while she was at work, and a neighbor called CPS. My friend had no idea the babysitter had bailed, but when she came home, her kids were all taken from her. CPS had effectively kidnapped her children and as a result of spiraling circumstances she didn't get her children back for at least a year. I'd known this woman for a while and she was a very good mother and checked in on her kids frequently while at work. The oldest of her children was 12, and the youngest 9. I have other friends who let their 12 year old children babysit their younger siblings on a regular basis. I feel my friend was treated unfairly to say the least, and CPS did not help but actually destroyed her life and her children's as well. Foster care was not good for them.

 

I honestly can't remember a time when I've ever seen a human in as much dispair as was my friend during those times when CPS would not give her her children back. I recall that they wouldn't even let her see them on their birthdays.

 

Clearly there are other circumstances where intervention is warrented, but prudence is not always applied, and thereforeeee the negative reputation. Based on my experience with them as a mere bystander, I would avoid dealings with them at all costs.

[wayne]

It's tales like this that make people feel that CPS is dangerous at best.

 

I mean, seizing kids for being "unsupervised" when a 12 year old is there with them? That's completely insane. Not allowing a timely hearing to get to the bottom of what actually happened? Unacceptable.

 

There are times when intervention is needed to save kids' lives, when their parents won't take basic care of them and won't let them go for some messed-up reason, and it's hard to design a policing agency that can intervene in such an intrusive way in only the necessary cases and leave all other cases alone. But that doesn't stop perfectly healthy families from being afraid of them.

[Fallout]

While I'm not in america myself so I can't say I heard of them...I just have to say how horrible it is to take children away just like that on a whim...the people that did that should be in jail themselves!!! It would be interesting to hear the OP's point of view on this.

 

Maybe there ought to be clearer laws regarding child protection? Specifying from what age forwards children can be left without supervision and such...

 

Right now it looks like that CPS thing has so much power it can easily be abused...I know someone that works in that field and is a terrible person herself, so I can see it happening..

[AwdreeHpburn]

hey - I posted on this thread before - anyone know what happened to it? Was it blocked? Inflammatory? what?

[avman]

Ah, I see the problem. This thread is a duplicate of one in the off topic forum.

 

This thread now closed.