Welcome back and thanks for joining us. If you’re just finding this article now for the first time, it means you missed the intro and we recommend you spend a couple of minutes getting caught up here. And now that we’re all on the same page, let’s pick up where we left off, after talking about the fact that CPS workers aren’t cops, and you don’t have to comply with everything they tell you to do!

Your caseworker isn’t necessarily on your side!

When parents are struggling and need help, CPS assigns a caseworker to that family who is supposed to make sure that the family gets the help they need. Whether it’s parenting classes, substance abuse counseling, or anger management therapy, the CPS worker is supposed to make sure the family gets what they need to get through this difficult time and in the end, stay together whenever possible. However that isn’t the only role your assigned caseworker will play in this relationship.

Caseworkers can testify in court against the parents they’re meant to help.

This is one of the strangest aspects of the way CPS operates is their assigned case worker reporting mandates. Essentially, the caseworker assigned to work with you and your family is also required to testify in court about how you’re doing. And if they don’t like your attitude, or don’t think you’re making enough effort, they can simply turn on you and tell the Judge that you complied with the court’s requests and shouldn’t get your kids back yet, or at all.

This doesn’t promote truth in a relationship that needs honesty.

If this doesn’t sound right to you, you’re not alone. It’s the equivalent of sending someone to a therapist to get help, and then insisting that their therapist become a witness for the prosecution during their trial. It doesn’t promote honesty between families and their caseworkers, which in turn reduces how efficient the caseworkers are able to be when helping the families. After all, who wants to tattle on themselves?

CPS workers threaten removal to make parents more compliant.

Although CPS is often quick to threaten the removal of children from a home with problems, it’s not actually supposed to be their first resort (unless the situation is deemed an emergency.) In fact, it’s supposed to be their last resort. CPS workers are supposed to make an effort to find other solutions. To preserve the family in any reasonable way possible before tearing them apart. But many CPS workers find that the threat of a removed child makes a frightened family more compliant. And so they’re more likely to use it when they think it will get them in the door.

Your first move, when CPS gets involved, should be to call us!

Your best bet, when a CPS worker shows up on your doorstep, or calls to ask questions, is to politely let them know they’ll be hearing from your attorney, and call us immediately! There are so many ways in which CPS workers steamroll people because those families don’t know what their rights are, and don’t know the truth about what CPS can and can’t do. We however, know ALL of that, and we can make sure they don’t step over the line. So call 866 766 5245 at any time of day or night. We’re here to help.