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I wish it was set up like that here also bigmomma5. Here everything is in the hands of the CSW who does what ever he/she wants and the supervisors will back up their workers 100%.
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agency director was a question for big momma, based on her
"you'll NEVER adopt if you go to the media" comment.:evilgrin: Trying to have your back. Sorry if sarcastic, but in my experience FPs who advocate are sometimes squashed by agency supervisors.
MissingDoc: When you say "the feds", do you mean someone at the level of state governor or state attorney general has taken notice?
BTW: Don't be surprised if they give you a "pacifier placement" of a newborn in the next few weeks or so.....
OhioFosterMom
BTW: Don't be surprised if they give you a "pacifier placement" of a newborn in the next few weeks or so.....
That is an interesting possibility! Most people assumed they would try to come up with some seemingly valid reason for moving Doc so abruptly. She has a lawyer to contest that now. If Doc was returned now, they would be admitting that someone made a mistake in moving him. It makes sense that she might be offered a placement that would be too hard to pass up.
rainee
That is an interesting possibility! Most people assumed they would try to come up with some seemingly valid reason for moving Doc so abruptly. She has a lawyer to contest that now. If Doc was returned now, they would be admitting that someone made a mistake in moving him. It makes sense that she might be offered a placement that would be too hard to pass up.
from the school of been there, seen that.... (not identical situation, though....)
The idea of an infant placed with me to get me to back off from the appeal and to get me to stop contacting EVERYONE and their mother who could possibly play a part in getting Doc back is a very real likelihood. And I honestly didnt even think about it, all they have called with is a 17 year old male placement. That would make myself and the 17 year old male less then 10 years younger then me!!! I clearly did not take that placement due to age reasons...and unless the 17 year old was cool with crashing in an IKEA crib it simply would not work. :-)
I recently moved from a 1 bedroom apt that was working perfectly when Doc was sharing a room with me into a much larger 2 bedroom town house so I would be more then happy and able to take a placement while fighting for Doc. Which is the reason I made the move in addition to the desire be open for multiple children. Right now I have told my FFA that I will take a single child placement and I am looking for a matching crib on Craigslist as we speak so that housing and beds is not a tactic CPS can use in court to deny my ability to take Doc back in if the judge agrees with my lawyer and I.
I filed the appeal papers today so CPS and all appointed legal teams will be notified of the appeal shortly. The meeting with the CSW supervisor had to be cancelled today because of my attorney being called into an emergency hearing. The supervisor has been calling my FFA trying to get the director to talk to me about how this is never going to work and that she needs to make me stop. (This will not happen and the director is 100% on my side though she has to remain neutral in any official sense to maintain working relations with CPS for the sake of our FFA and the children who are within the agency!)
So I am just keeping up with all my school work, applying to local group homes to find a part time job, researching family law, researching how to best help Doc transition back to my care in case this does in fact take place, and networking with many amazing foster parents! I am going to the CPS adoptions orientation next month when the next one is offered. If I do not get to have Doc back and get to adopt him this battle will not be in vain! I have learned many valuable facts, lessons, and have a new direction I hope to go in my schooling and career. My FFA has started a new program where my lawyer come in every few months to train foster parents how to navigate the family court system and how to actively advocate for their foster children. We have began the works of creating a foster parents support group that will be goal oriented and focused on solutions and meeting each others needs.
TPR will be happening in March and Doc is now receiving services for moderate/severe delays he has exhibited since his 1 month evaluation with the home health nurse.
I greatly look forward to my next placement and getting the appeal hearing date!
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By "the feds" I am meaning an agency called MEPA. Here is the link to their site.
[url]http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/adoption/mepatraingppt.pdf[/url]
MissingDoc
By "the feds" I am meaning an agency called MEPA. Here is the link to their site.
[url]http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/adoption/mepatraingppt.pdf[/url]
That is Health and Human Services. MEPA is a regulation concerning the placement of children with foster families that are a different race or ethnicity than they are. There is no MEPA agency (except Mass. Environmental Protection Agency but I don't think that would apply here).
[url=http://encyclopedia.adoption.com/entry/Multiethnic-Placement-Act-MEPA/233/1.html]Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) - Adoption Encyclopedia[/url]
MEPA (not mass environment) directed me to another agency through an email today that I have yet to get to.
MissingDoc
[url=http://encyclopedia.adoption.com/entry/Multiethnic-Placement-Act-MEPA/233/1.html]Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) - Adoption Encyclopedia[/url]
MEPA (mass environment) directed me to another agency through an email today that I have yet to get to.
I'm familiar. I believe all FPs are required to get MEPA training during pre-service. The decision to remove will be scrutinized strictly. Best to you. Be sure to have some fun and not let the case consume you. Blessings! :cheer:
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MEPA is for the agency, not the fps. i do not recall ever having MEPA training--i don't place kids, i accept them--and i've been a fp for 6 years.
greenrobin
MEPA is for the agency, not the fps. i do not recall ever having MEPA training--i don't place kids, i accept them--and i've been a fp for 6 years.
The law protects FP and AP rights. It prohibits an agency from denying FPs the opportunity to be a an FP to a child based on ethnicity. Wow. Ohio's on the ball. It's covered by privates and counties in preservice training. The FPs and APs are the ones who file the complaints. Perhaps the law does not require that foster and adoptive parents be presented with a "fact sheet" or training describing the law??
Did your training cover ethnic and cultural sensitivity and care issues, but not your rights under MEPA?
Foster parent complaints can go to: "US Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights". MissingDoc mentions that "the feds" are involved and perhaps she filed her complaint at that level.
Thank you for advocating for your foster child. Too many just roll over and get the "well I can't change anything because I am only 1 person" mentality. One person can make a difference. Thank You!
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