Tag: Child Welfare System
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Understanding the Role of the Office of the Child Advocate in Michigan
Navigating the complexities of Michigan’s child welfare system can be daunting for families. The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) plays a crucial role in ensuring children’s rights and well-being are upheld. This independent state agency is tasked to investigate complaints and make recommendations to improve Michigan’s child welfare (CPS) system. Investigating Complaints A complaint…
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Defending Against CPS Allegations of Shaken Baby Syndrome: Insights from the Michigan Supreme Court – People v. Lemons
Children’s Protective Services (CPS) cases can be extremely stressful and have life altering consequences for parents. When allegations of child abuse, such as Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), arise, the stakes are even higher. The Michigan Supreme Court case, People v. Lemons, provides valuable insights into defending against CPS allegations and accusations. This blog explores key…
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Empowering Michigan Families: The Need for Enhanced Education in Caregiver Rights Legislation
Here in Michigan, the well-being of children and the rights of parents and guardians are of utmost importance to all of us. As with other states, Michigan has legislation to address child abuse and neglect, influenced by federal funding mandates. This legislation must balance the state’s interest in child safety with Constitutionally mandated respect for…
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Strengthening Tribal Families Act: Safeguarding Native Children and Cultures
The Strengthening Tribal Families Act of 2023 is a significant legislative step toward protecting Native American children and preserving their cultural heritage. Introduced in the 118th Congress, this bill aims to enhance compliance of Children’s Protective Services with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), which establishes federal standards for the removal and placement of Indian children…
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Desperation Without Dignity: Just One More Reason to Keep Families Together!
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times – taking kids away from their families only to abandon them in youth homes is a terrible idea! And this report by a federally mandated watchdog group, the National Disability Rights Network, only serves to prove our point: Families should be supported in place,…
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What Happens After Someone Reports Child Abuse to The Authorities? (Pt 1)
We do all sorts of things in our daily lives, without ever stopping to wonder what happens after the small role we played in the process. Throw something into your trash can, and at the end of the week, set it out at the curb and never give it a second thought? Have you ever…
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Michigan’s New Adoption & Foster Care Task Force
Michigan’s broken child welfare system has long been a topic of hot debate. What’s wrong with it, who is to blame, and how to fix it are regular subjects of media scrutiny. But it seems the state itself has decided to take on this mammoth issue, and see if they can figure out some of…
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Involving Your Kids in Criminal Activity Might Cost You Your Parenting Rights in Michigan!
The idea of involving your children in criminal activity might sound strange to many parents, but believe it or not it happens. And some parents don’t even realize that what they’re doing is wrong, and could cost them their families! Teaching a child to slip a pair of earrings you can’t afford into their underwear…
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Even a Short Stay in Foster Care Can Have Detrimental Effects on a Child (Pt 2)
Hi there and welcome back. We’ve been talking about how foster care stays affect children’s mental and emotional wellbeing, and how even a very short stay in foster care can seriously hamper a child’s socio-emotional development. As we explained in the previous article, a recent study conducted by the Marshall Project showed that an astounding…
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What Happens When States Don’t Track Child Deaths Accurately? (Pt 2)
Welcome back and thanks for joining us. We’ve been looking at a recent study done by ProPublica, where they gathered data on abuse and neglect related child deaths from all 50 states, under the federal law (Child Abuse Treatment and Prevention Act, called CAPTA). Unsurprisingly, child welfare agencies in many states either refused to comply…