Charleston County DSS & DSS System As A Whole

On July 2, 2012 three children were removed from my home two I was going through the adoption process with. One who is 2yrs old I had since he was a infant the other is 17 months who I had since she was a newborn. I am working in Florence at first I was commuting back and forth to Charleston it was beginning to be to much on me an my car. So I moved to Florence I moved into apartment the kids came with me I thought everything was cleared through my license worker at the time. First time called into the office I felt I was treated like a criminal like I had run off with the children when I made her and the caseworker aware I had moved. It was very disappointing for me to be treated that way after years of service to DSS. Anyway social workers came checked my home but not once was I told your windows don't meet code. I had to keep calling to just get DHEC & the Marshal to come out. On June 13th I was blindsided yet again by another meeting when I brought one of the kids for her visit. I was called up to a conference room an grilled on my then boyfriend and where my car was registered at a home where i never lived. I thank them for making me aware of that because the DMV is investigating it for me because i never registered my car to an address that was a a vacant home. While in this interrogation I was told that male friend had a record which I wanted to know what it was, but was told I couldn't be given that information. The statement was also made "if we thought he was a threat to the children we would have already picked them up" also " we know he doesn't live with you cause social workers noticed no signs of him when they came to your home." But to come to what happened my waiver was to expire on July 2nd the marshall came out June 29th I called Florence DSS while the Marshal was there to find out what to do she advised me that I would be able to get another 90 waiver and the kids would not be removed but I had to move . That Monday a Supervisor calls me to tell me the kids would be picked up. I intern called the Director of Licensing in Columbia being naive I thought she would help even to get a 10 day extension. She made it seem as though it was not up to her it was Charleston decision. Maybe at that time she forgot to tell the other social workers in Charleston to lie because one told me " She made the decision for the kids to be picked up, so I don't know why she would make you think the decision was up to Charleston, because Maureen was trying to get the kids to stay in your home." The Director of Licensing made a statement to me" if you have a new address an move the kids into the home within 24hrs they could stay." Who can find a home in 24hrs and move, even rich people can not manage that and I work 9am -6:15pm. I called all over that day I even tried reaching you and was put through to everyone but you, even a Brad Lake I believe his name was. My whole issue was how things were done I had heard many times before that DSS and especially Charleston county was unjust but I wanted to believe it not to be true. Ever since I was a teen I wanted to help foster children at that time I tried to get my mother to do it. I had to stand by and watch two children look at me like what is going on. One was holding on to my legs in his room as i was packing up his clothing an trying not to cry in front of him. As he ask me "Why." The whole time DSS led me to believe oh we just removed them because of a window. Three inches to be exact, the very next day I left work early to look for a new home because i was lied to that oh they will be back as soon as you find a home that will pass inspection. I called until my calls were no longer answered to check on them. Finally in August a Guardian en litiem calls to ask me what happened all that time I thought she knew he was moved. She didn't want him moved from my home, his old guardian always recommended he be placed with me. She kept calling when they told her it was a window issue she felt that wasn't enough. Then she told after more proding she was told it was because of my male friend and that they gave me time to turn in my papers and I didn't. She told me to get a lawyer and herself as a mother thought what was happening was wrong. What bothers me is the lying an deceit. To the people in the offices these are just kids a file or number to me they are my son and daughter who i love nurtured and raised. I watch these commercials about we need help foster/adoptive parents I wouldn't recommend anyone to go through the pain that we are going through. When a couple of foster kids came to my home that were 1yr and above I sat with them nights they cried for their mother so I can imagine that, they have and are doing the same and wondering what happened or why. I could see if DSS said look either this person leaves your life or the kids will be taken, I was given until July 13th to turn in all of my paper work I did the inspection failed. I can not call and arrange for DHEC or the Marshall to come to my home. Within days of the kids being removed from my apartment I risked losing my job by taking off days to find a new home which I have done the Marshall has been out to this home is has passed but Dhec called since July an and didn't come til September. I have been calling Florence DSS and Charleston had not yet sent up my file like they are stalling or something. My license would expire in October they sent it a week before my license would expire. In all this time I was a foster parent I have never been told i was doing a bad job or harming any kids. Almost everytime they called me even with a full house I took kids in even if just for overnight. And to now be treated like a criminal is wrong I don't know how anyone who can claim to love kids have done what was done to me and the kids. People sitting in offices calling shots behind a desk not caring about the fallout. I was not asked if this person was still in my life, I don't care if they had to come check my home everyday I would've done it to keep them with me. I thought the Guardian en litiem was put there to help the children but yet from what she told me she was told to take my name off of the recommendation for one of the kids, but she would try and help and was praying for me. Not a day or night goes by I am not missing them and praying that this mess finds some good in it. That someone will step and say yes this is wrong. And not just telling me I have social workers telling me what was done was wrong but they work there and can't help cause they could lose their jobs. The day this happened some told me to call you ASAP and Governor Haley find someone to help me. One of the kids mother and father were arrested that Thursday for killing yet another baby, I believe before she was picked up from my home I read these articles that say she is in a adoptive home but just days later she was picked up from my home. Now everyone I call look into and don't call back what is it with DSS that lawyers are telling me you can't win with DSS because they do everything under the disguise of helping children.The sad part is I couldv'e lied about someone being my life I was honest and that was used against me , I am not perfect by any means but things I can not stand is being lied on or to. I don't know if the entire department or just the few but people talk an it does not look good for DSS as a whole. Another child was in my home once she was returned to her 17yr old mother after being with me from 2 months old to 15 months. And this year she was adopted out I thought it was something that didn't need to happen, I wanted to keep her but again DSS decided "her mother deserved a chance to be a mother." I keep hearing a child needs safety bonding time, we bonded everywhere I went they were. I keep praying that someone will have some compassion and see this was wrong and fix it before too much damage is done. It doesn't take months to send a file to another county , I was never told I could no longer be a foster/adoptive parent, I pray this never happens to anyone else. I was also informed later that the little girl removed from my home this year had to have some kind of physical therapy when she was with me nothing every happened to her. I tried contacting the Director in Columbia her email never works.