Ask Me Help Desk - Michigan children's nightmare

Child protective services took my grandchildren from their parents the end of December. My grandchildren are in foster care now and they are so sad and confused. I have read tons of information, laws, and policies and procedures pertaining to relative & kinship care but the CPS and DHS people keep telling me lies and putting me off, even the babies attorney/guardian is rude to me. Now I find out that I have to somehow get a referral from their office in order to hire a private agency to become licensed by the state to take care of my own grandchildren. Or I can get a foster care license through their office which will take 8 months and then I will have to agree to take any kids they tell me to.

I don't know how they can take babies and keep them away from their whole family!

I am so frustrated, I cannot afford an attorney and I won't even get a chance to talk to the judge now for another 30 days. This is a nightmare! How can they just ignore us?

The info that you are getting is not completely right. It does not take 8 months to get a license. You could be granted an emergency license. I am surprised they haven't told you about it. I have never heard of anyone having to get a referral and hiring an outside agency to become licensed. Is there something you are not telling us? There has to be something that happened with you and the authorities? Did you all have a disagreement?

Listen, you need to start today getting your license. Do not put up fights, you will not go any further with this if you do. For some reason, they have the power to steer us... in what ever direction they want really. It is not right to some point, but we deal with it because you and I... are willing to work really hard to do the right thing for the kids. That in my opinion is the truth in some cases. Others are really easy.
As for you having to take what ever kid they want you to have. That is a flat out lie. No way, no how, especially if you are doing it solely for specific kids. Go an talk to them with respect and calmness, ask about the emergency pardon so you can start taking care of them right away and take whatever classes that are necessary to get guardianship. Good luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by startover22

The info that you are getting is not completely right. It does not take 8 months to get a license. You could be granted an emergency license. I am surprised they haven't told you about it. I have never heard of anyone having to get a referral and hiring an outside agency to become licensed. Is there something you are not telling us? There has to be something that happened with you and the authorities? Did you all have a disagreement?

Listen, you need to go ahead and start today getting your license. Do not put up fights, you will not go any further with this if you do. For some reason, they have the power to steer us....in what ever direction they want really. It is not right to some point, but we deal with it because you and I... are willing to work really hard to do the right thing for the kids. That in my opinion is the truth in some cases. Others are really easy.
As for you having to take what ever kid they want you to have. That is a flat out lie. No way, no how, especially if you are doing it solely for specific kids. Go an talk to them with respect and calmness, ask about the emergency pardon so you can start taking care of them right away and take whatever classes that are necessary to get gaurdianship. Good luck.

Please tell me where I can get more information on this "emergency license and emergency pardon"!
No there is nothing I am hiding... I have a clean record, a clean home, have never had a CPS case, and I even work with children! I wish you could hear the phone conversation I recorded while talking to my grandbabies attorney, I wish I could afford an attorney to get this played for the judge, maybe then things wouuld be different!

Fyi... I have started the licensing process and stated and restated in their paperwork that I am applying only for relative care of my grandbabies and not for foster care of strangers children.

When I was asked to foster three small boys, it was an emergency pardon... I did their daycare, found out that they were going to be separated, I said no way, what can I do? And their case worker said look, if you want, we can give you the emergency pardon...

I can't remember the "real" name of it, not license or pardon, but the case worker should know what it is. Call the state without stating your name and ask a few questions about getting an emergency pardon for the license. Then confront their case worker with it. If you have no issues, politely tell her that you understand that she knew about this and you would like to go through with it. If she/he doesn't I would ask to talk to her/his supervisor... and so forth. I know it is available. At least here in Oregon it is. What state are you I? Good luck and I hope everything works out for you.

May we ask why they were taken away? This may be a clue as to why you are having troubles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by startover22

When I was asked to foster three small boys, it was an emergency pardon...I did their daycare, found out that they were going to be separated, I said no way, what can I do? And their case worker said look, if you want, we can give you the emergency pardon....

I can't remember the "real" name of it, not license or pardon, but the case worker should know what it is. Call the state without stating your name and ask a few questions about getting an emergency pardon for the license. Then confront their case worker with it. If you have no issues, politely tell her that you understand that she knew about this and you would like to go through with it. If she/he doesn't I would ask to talk to her/his supervisor....and so forth. I know it is available. At least here in Oregon it is. What state are you i? Good luck and I hope everything works out for you.

Thanks. I've already spoken with the state advocate and she never mentioned emergency pardon only "relative care" which in my state, Michigan, you still have to go through the foster care licensing process. And yes, I also let the caseworker and her supervisor know that I am doing this only for my grandchildren and that the state advocate told me that once the process is started I can file a motion with the court for temp custody; the downside is that I have to have a referral from the caseworker to start the process. She doesn't return my calls and has already sent me running in circles for weeks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by J_9

May we ask why they were taken away? This may be a clue as to why you are having troubles.

Both parents were accused of substance abuse. They have been tested repeatedly and the only thing showing up in these tests are perscription medications, for which they've proved were prescribed to them by their doctors. Since they've taken my grandbabies the list of accusations keeps growing and the CPS and DHS are now saying that they physically abused my grand-daughter... she has never had a bruise on her other than the normal toddler stuff when she first started walking. They've also added neglect to the list, because her last immunizations were late because she was teething and running a fever and the doctor told them to reschedule.

Substance abuse is a leading cause for children being placed in foster care. Child protection has to provide their information to the Court as to why putting the children in foster care is necessary - it costs each state money to foster children and it is not cheap. I know it is hard, but you will need to stay flexible and calm in the face of the storm. This is going to be necessary if you plan to take custody of your grandchildren.

I would suggest that you keep a folder with all documents related to the case; write and fax a letter to the Social Worker and copy to her Supervisor that you would like to schedule visits with your grandchildren. You might want to ask if your family's case will qualify for a team meeting to discuss the issues involved and how they can be resolved. You are going to have to cooperate and ask if you can have the children placed with you, if you can visit and how often until the children are placed with you, etc.

No doubt you are upset over what has happened - and though it is hard, you are going to get through this. As harsh as it may seem, this is an attempt to protect your grandchildren - and to force your loved ones to get the help they may need. If drugs are indeed involved, then denial is not going to help here - action is needed to resolve the issues involved. Do it for your grandchildren because they are most at risk here - no matter how angry and upset you are. God bless you and hope things work out for the best.