NYC #1

So apparently NYC rates as the "worst" foster care system in the United States.

But what goes beyond that is the defense of the system by a "Legal Aid" attorney who should be working to correct the problems.

Tami Steckler, head of the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice, blasted the suit as “short-sighted” and warned that it could “stall the progress being made by those of us actually working with these families and children.”

“As the organization that represents almost all the children in New York City foster care, we have been working very closely with the current Commissioner to improve outcomes,” Steckler said in a prepared statement.

“This lawsuit is being brought by attorneys who have never represented clients in New York City’s foster care system, yet purport to know how to fix it, at a time when foster care numbers are at an all-time low and collaboration is at an all-time high.”

Collaboration at an "all-time high"? Sounds like the only collaboration that is doing well would be the collaboration between Steckler and the current Commissioner.

It would be interesting to trace the funding stream for the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice - anyone care to hazard whether the money comes from the same locations that fund DSS and the foster care system?

So, let's take a look at their website: Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice - information from their own site reveals:

The Division was established concurrently with New York State's Family Court in 1962

and

The Juvenile Services Unit, the social work component, was formed as a result of the pioneering work of Juvenile Rights in teaming social workers with lawyers in order to adequately address the educational, social, and psychological issues that arise in Family Court proceedings.

Care to wonder where the "social workers" are found? I would be willing to bet that they are graciously supplied by DSS - in other words, DSS helps to keep control over the attorneys who should be only accountable to their child clients.

There has already been repeated documentation that DSS not only doesn't work to reunite families, but actively works to estrange family members from  each other, terminate parental rights as rapidly as possible, and farm children out for adoption.

It is time to stand up, speak out, and expose CPS for the outdated, abusive system that it is.

Pick and Choose!

There is no greater demonstration of the selective persecution prosecution that is rampant in the so-called justice system than what occurs in Family Court and its related criminal court actions.

In the summer of 2010 - July to be more specific, my children were at Jon's apartment for the first extended length of time (any prior visits were very short, 15 min or less, and had only occurred twice that I can recall). We were celebrating his birthday with a cookout, and also letting the kids know that we were going to work on reestablishing our relationship.

My middle child took the dog for a walk, and mentioned that the kids in the yard that Jon's balcony overlooked were really splashing in the pool.

About an hour later she took the dog out again, and came inside reporting that there was yellow crime scene tape around the pool and yard.

Apparently a four-year old little girl had drowned in that short period of time.

What is most striking is that the mother claimed to have left an 8-year old child in charge of watching the little girl, who suffered from several disabilities.

The yard was not fenced, so anyone could have wandered in from the street and accessed the pool.

There was no gate to block access to the pool from the deck.

There was a sliding glass door that was left open onto the deck.

Jon had spoken from his balcony to the parents and the grandparents about the need for pool safety on at least two occasions after observing the kids unsupervised in the pool. When nothing changed, he finally called in a report to CPS - two weeks before the drowning.

And the mother was posting status updates and game updates on Facebook during the whole time frame in question, including one about how the 8-year old was downstairs playing a game - while he was supposed to be watching his little sister.

No charges were filed, and the mother never lost custody of any of her children.

Maybe the fact that her family was friends with the investigating detective had something to do with it.

It is amazing how people can pick and choose what they will investigate, and who they will pursue and persecute.

It's amazing how many neglectful and abusive parents are ignored or given a pass - while those known to be innocent are harassed.

It is time to stand up, speak out, and expose CPS!