A Philadelphia-based self-help support group of mothers, other family members & supporters

helping individuals fight their cases, raising public awareness, and working to change unjust policies and practices. 

 

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Come to our workshop at the 2008 NOW Conference:

Children and Families at Risk:
Child Protective Services Gone Bad


 Friday July 18, 2:15 pm  Diplomat/Ambassador Room
 Hyatt Regency Bethesda  7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda Maryland

For NOW conference registration: https://www.now.org/registration.html

For those in Phila area, please join us for our monthly picket outside DHS 1616 Arch St 
First Thursday of every month from 4-5pm.
For info:  215-848-1120  philly@crossroadswomen.net


From monthly picket outside Phila Dept of Human Services by mothers  & others fighting to regain custody of children unjustly removed by the state

 Across the US, women and families are losing custody of children to child protective services.  Children are dragged from families at an alarming rate – Philly is among the highest.  Instead of helping families in poverty with housing, childcare, legal needs or abuse, DHS removes kids from their homes, particularly from people of color, younger, older, alternative families. But most children and youth are better off and safer at home than in foster care.  Once in the system, it is a lengthy & sometimes impossible process to get them back.  At the same time, DHS does not always act to protect children who are in danger – racism rears its ugly head at both ends of protecting children!  Some non-profits with contracts with DHS can profit by keeping the children – a conflict of interest. 

* Fact – Out of every 1000 impoverished children in their jurisdiction, Chicago removes 6 children from their homes, NY removes 11, LA removes 14.  Phila removes 40!  (Nat’l Coalition for Child Protection Reform, NCCPR)

* Fact – Black children are more likely to be taken from their homes, to stay in protective custody longer and never to return to their parents.  (Cincinnati Post)

* Fact – A Children’s Hospital of Phila study found that when toddlers have similar injuries, they were 3 times more likely to be reported to DHS if the family was African-American or Latino.  (Children’s Hospital press release, Oct. 1. 03)

*Fact – 30% of foster children could be home right now if their parents had decent housing (NCCPR)
* Fact – Foster care “alumni” found they had twice the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder of Gulf War veterans and only 20 percent could be said to be “doing well.”   (NCCPR  www.nccpr.org )

Just two of the families involved:

Ms Tili Ayala, Native American & Latina, had her 4-month-old son whom she was breastfeeding taken because of actions by the father - relatives now have the boy. She sees him, now 4, once a week in supervised visits, while the father has unlimited access. She has met every DHS goal re housing, jobs & parenting courses, yet her parental rights are permanently threatened.  The picket she began outside DHS in May 2005 continues & grows.
Mr. & Mrs. K Clayton, white grandparents of a 3-year-old in foster care, requested custody of the child. Despite doing all DHS required, passed home inspections, and want full financial responsibility, yet the child remains in care. DHS assured them in Dec. 2007 they would recommend to the court their grandson would be able to come to live with them. They still don’t have their grandson.

What our self-help campaign has done since 2007

 

(1)   Fighting individual cases: accompanying each other to Family Court hearings & DHS meetings; finding legal help, making sure attorneys do what they are supposed to; helping women prepare their cases.  Four mothers have won custody of their children so far & one won a stay in termination of parental rights.

 

(2)   Public awareness: monthly picket outside of DHS, passing out flyers including to parents with cases; public meetings, including a large Speak Out in Nov 2007; tabling at community events and speaking at conferences; articles and photos in Philadelphia newspapers; getting on local and national radio programs, including “Families Speak Out” (WURD, Phila), “Sojourner Truth” (KPFK, Pacifica Network/LA), & Clear Channel Radio/Phila. Now compiling a dossier of cases that documents the injustice and abuse experienced by families and children in DHS.

 

(3)   Challenging the system: taking part in the DHS Child Welfare Advisory Board where we have often been the only grassroots voices challenging DHS policies; speaking out at Town Meetings; winning two meetings with then acting Commissioner of DHS Arthur Evans and one with the new Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose, and getting them to intervene in several cases; networking with groups in other cities who are working on this issue; producing an online petition where people from across the US and other countries have described their own horror stories (www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/364936228).

WE THE UNDERSIGNED DEMAND:

  • DHS to prioritize protection and reunification of families, recognizing that children are overwhelmingly safer and better off in their own home except under extreme circumstances

  • Providing mothers with financial support, housing, childcare day or night, family centered drug treatment on demand, legal and other help to keep families together

  • End financial incentives for non-profits to keep children, and make them accountable for use of funds – making resources available to families and providing real services

  • Access of families to good and accountable free legal representation

  • End the run-around, prolonging of cases and abuse of power, while giving mothers the time they need to meet DHS goals

  • End discrimination on the basis of race, gender, poverty, age, disability, immigration status, cultural difference, sexual preference and other blatant discrimination

  • Mothers must not be forced to choose between homelessness or staying with an abusive partner – either way they may lose custody & the child is hurt.  When childcare arrangements fall through or when children are sick, mothers must not be forced to choose between staying home for their children and getting fired, or leaving their children alone or with inadequate care  

  • Public investigation of how cases are handled

  • Accountability by case workers, supervisors & administrators for removal of children

  • Mothers and families treated with respect, not threats and harassment, and arrogance, and have the right to the support of advocates, family and community members in all dealings with DHS.

 

 

 

Name

Address/Email

City & State/Prov

Messages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

WHERE TO WRITE!!

Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose

Department of Human Services

1515 Arch Street   Phila, PA  19102

 

Issued by: Families for Justice
justice1peace@yahoo.com

Every Mother is a Working Mother Network
215-848-1120   philly@crossroadswomen

 

  

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