When a child is removed by CPS because the agency believes they may be in danger of potential abuse and neglect, their immediate safety is the main issue at hand. However, while the initial removal is devastating, in most cases the ultimate aim is reunification, which means that the agency is supposed to work towards finding safe ways to get the kids out of foster care and back to their families as quickly as possible. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Especially when the world is caught up in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic.

How did the Corona virus affect foster kid reunification schedules?

For many families whose children were taken from them and placed into foster care, the Corona Virus meant a sudden break in contact. In most cases, families who are separated from their children by CPS get opportunities to visit and spend time together before the children are returned home. This visitation plan serves to allow parents a chance to maintain relationships and bonds with their children, and in some cases show a supervising CPS worker that they can interact safely with their kids. But what happens when quarantine keeps everyone apart? How do parents see their children? How do they maintain those relationships?

For families with very young kids, this separation was devastating!

A recent Gizmodo article addressed this issue, and looked at the challenges faced by families whose kids were in foster care, and who’s only contact was via video chat. For older kids who can sustain a conversation, it’s not ideal but it can work. For younger children, especially babies and toddlers, it’s heartbreaking. Because they simply can’t sustain the focus required to have a video chat conversation with a parent. And when that’s the only option available to you for contact, it leaves a lot to be desired. When you consider the fact that the majority of kids in foster care are less than 5 years old, it reveals a very telling picture of how many parents were forced to go for months without any real contact with their children.

Kids need one-on-one, in-person contact with their parents!

Being separated from your parents is extremely hard for children. Even short term separations can have disastrous long term results for kids, including increased anxiety, depression, and even an increased chance of substance abuse. For this reason, we believe it’s critical to keep families together whenever possible. So if CPS has contacted you, or is threatening to remove your children, call The Kronzek Firm at 866 766 5245 immediately and speak with one of our skilled and experienced CPS defense attorneys. We’re available 24/7 to help you defend your parenting rights and protect your family.