Re: DRG's and Child Welfare

["Judy M. Laurendine" <msju@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Re:  Child Welfare mandate on termination of parental rights:
It has been my experience that if the mandate says 12 months it will take 24
so I don't think you have to be too concerned that workers are rushing to
terminate rights.  This law is helpful in that the children we are talking
about have no family that can or will take care of them so basically they
have been orphaned by their birth parents.  The children who benefit are
those that fit into this category and that have made a healthy connection to
their foster parents who are willing to adopt.  It is easy to criticize a
system from outside.  I specialize in attachment disorder and in sexual
abuse therefore I work with child protection all the time.  I know that
parents who are making progress do not lose parental rights because of a
deadline--as long as they are progressing the goal remains return to
parents.  Family Preservation as been a focal point of the panning for these
children (sometimes to the detriment of the child).  Take a longer look at
the goal of this law.  Children cannot wait forever for parents to heal.  It
is sad but true.  They need love, support, discipline, etc NOW, not 2 or
more years from now and the person giving this is forming a healthy
emotional bond--when is it too late?  Usually when the child responds to the
foster parent as her mother and cannot trust the birth parent enough to
trust again.  I know this is simplifying the situation, but it is more easy
to blame the system and the rules.  There are no easy answers here but I
have seen the damage of giving parents unlimited time to become parents.  It
just doesn't work.  Judy M. Laurendine
-----Original Message-----
From: Tbitlaw@aol.com <Tbitlaw@aol.com>
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
<CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu>
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 1999 11:24 AM
Subject: DRG's and Child Welfare


>Take a look at the new federal legislation that mandates termination of
>parental rights petitions for children who have been in the system for "15
of
>the last 22 months."  Not driven by the needs of the family, child or time
it
>takes to address sometimes many layers of problems.  Yes, there are
>exceptions, but child welfare workers and prosecutors see this as the
>answer---we must terminate.  Often their goal is to "provide permanency"
for
>children---yes we can make them permanently orphans, especially those
>children who are not young and adoptable.  And accomplish what?