If you have been a foster parent for a few years then you may have noticed that there is a lot of turnover in foster care workers. I understand why, but it doesn’t make it any easier on the children, the foster parents, or the families. Foster care is an incredibly stressful job that really doesn’t pay all that well. I have seen help wanted advertisements for foster care workers, requiring a master’s degree, offering less money than a nurse or an accountant would make with an associate degree. What could possibly be more stressful than knowing a child’s... more

Once a child has entered the foster care system a review hearing must be held every 90 days. Information must be submitted to the court at these review hearings about the parents’ progress towards the reunification goals. The reunification goals are established at the beginning of the case, usually when a foster care worker is assigned to the case, after the adjudication hearing. I will cover reunification goals more thoroughly tomorrow in another blog. The child has goals established to achieve while in foster care, as well. The child’s progress towards those goals is reviewed... more

When a child is removed from his or her parental home a judge or magistrate must sign an order allowing it. A child protective service worker usually requests this order, although a police officer may also request it. Once the removal has been approved, the child can be placed temporarily in foster care, a group home, or juvenile facility. That order is temporary, however, and after it is signed, an adjudication hearing must take place within 72 hours. Typically, a foster care worker has not yet been assigned to the case. Therefore, the child protective service worker involved in the... more

I then look at Baby Boo’s CPS caseworker (sitting beside the DA) in a complete panic and raised my eyes along with a horrible look on my face (at least that’s what I was told) at him. He grabbed is case notebook. He and the DA started flipping through it. The caseworker looks up at me and raises one finger from the desk and continues reading the book. I am thinking does that mean wait, see you later, or WHAT? I then start believing this rambling attorney, and I too start rambling on. My agency caseworker is mouthing,” It’s okay!”. Lady, the ship is going down, and I am tied up to it. “Your Honor, the state objects.”. (Oh, thank God!!) There is not a CASA worker, and CASA has never been... more

Yes, I had contact during the visits and discussed their daughter (What she is eating, is she crawling, teething, doctor appointments, etc). I had contact with them as often as they showed up for the visits.

At this point I start thinking I’m in the wrong courtroom. Personally I think they just try and trip you up, unnerve you. I was questioned repeatedly and in different ways, if I knew, seen or had be involved with bio Dad (I still have no idea where this was going). I stated for visits only. After a few more times being asked the same question. I stated , “To my knowledge the only contact I had was at the visits. (The guy could have seen me at Wal-mart I do not have a clue... more

Do you think it would in the best interest of Baby Boo to be returned to her bio parents? I hated being put in that spot and really didn’t think I should have been asked (Hey, but I am not the judge). This was the one time I was glad to hear repeatedly, “object”. (Over ruled) I just sat there, so not wanting to answer and finally I was instructed by the judge to answer the question. I looked at the bio mother (this was the third time I had made direct eye contact while testify) and said “I am sorry.” Then stated that I did not believe it would be in the child’s best interest.. I sat across the court room looking at the bio mother with tears running down my face and her face as well. Knowing... more

You will be sworn in before taking a seat. You will have to state your name, or in my case, Jane Doe. The district attorney will question you first, which helps ease you into it. I will list out some questions that I was asked. I feel if you are a little prepared, it is easier, and it can make you think of different answers before taking the stand. I could have done better on a few of my questions, if I had been a little prepared. Remember, they will ask you about when the child first came into care and in most cases, this has happened months ago. It is a little hard when they are asking about things that happened ten months ago and on top of that, you had a few more children come through... more

The big thing for me personally was I did not want to use my real name or where I lived. This was to protect the foster child, my family, and myself. At first I was told (by CPS) I would have to use my real name. At this point I stated I would not testify. Then the district attorney came over to talk with me. I explained why I felt this way. She was very nice and understanding, and talked to the other attorneys involved. She and the other attorneys then talked with the judge concerning protecting my identity. The judge called me up to his bench with the attorneys, and asked me why I wanted this, that I would answer to Mrs. Jane Doe, and that I would still be under oath. I felt like I was... more

This was a nerve racking ordeal, mainly because I did not know what to expect. I got to court early and sat in on the case before my foster daughter’s case, to give me an idea what to expect. I was not prepared in any way to what would be asked of me or what would happen. I have been asked what part people play in the testifying in court. I have also been asked if the case aide worker will testify. I will try and explain little of the process.

Testifying for the State will be: the investigator (CPS), caseworker, case aide worker anybody else that is involved with this case through CPS, psychologist, doctors, foster parents, etc.

Case aide worker will testify... more