I think a lot of the problem is that many social workers are fresh-faced kids right out of college. They mean well, they're all idealistic, but all they have is textbook learning and theory. By the time they get seasoned enough to know what's going on they get out of social work. I've seen it happen over and over again.

Because they're so young, they haven't experienced a lot of the things their clients have. They still see only possibilities, and don't know the pain that comes along with the "not possible at this time." And their supervisors are so overworked that I don't think they have the time to do proper oversight.

It's a mess all around. To me, the less the government gets in our lives the better :-)

Don't beat yourself up....I almost fell for the "you can put GS in foster care and visit him" deal in the beginning. Lucky for me I started doing research when I got the first call from the placement SW.

We all know about the anger you feel. You are doing the right thing to just go forward and leave the negative behind. Your Gkids will be with you soon your doing all the right things. A supervisor where I work told me about a friend of his that is a grandfather and when DCFS took his Gkids away from his son he expressed allot of anger and DCFS said that the Gkids couldn't go with Grandparents because they have anger management issues. Sw's have too much control and they make judgements like Sara stated and also sometimes they just don't like you.

We will keep praying for you & your family...

So, did the CW look at the baby's bottom, or not? CW definitely SHOULD HAVE done a visual herself and taken notes. If she didn't, that's negligence on her part.

I agree and it makes me wonder WHO is protecting children if CPS can't or won't protect them? Who does that leave to protect them? Ummm, IMO, US as grandparents. CPS should back off and leave us all alone and let us raise our grandkids and protect them the proper way.

Fortunately we got involved just before the judge ordered CPS in, during our son's case to get custody from the mother which dissolved because BOTH of them tested positive for drugs. In the five hearings since we filed for emergency, then temporary third-party custody, we've watched cases waiting for our turn, and heard/seen the problems that arise with CPS. The courthouse procedures were enough to frustrate us to no end as it was, and when things looked like they might not be favorable for the grandaughter, we learned to pray in new ways that flipped things in our direction. We can only thank God that we have her now, and that our son is making some better decisions as a result of losing his daughter....though he hates us right now and is still not owning his own contribution to the mess....perhaps in time he will. He's sober right now, which tends to contribute to better thinking some of the time. The rest is still about prayer and waiting....

You said it Gamma. PRAY and WAIT!

There's are problems with CPS and the system...I can't fix it, all I can do is fight for what's right and giving the kids back to us is the right thing to do.
The supervisor did not see the rash, she took the parent aides word as to how bad it was. I wrote an e-mail to the deputy of programs and cc'd everyone I could think of on the e-mail as well. In my e-mail I told them , they should be paying attention to the children in their care and continued neglect on them and stop worrying about if a teenagers bedroom looks like that of a little girls. I also requested a status, in writing. I know that if you e-mail or write them, they have to reply, based on their policy and standards.

I jump through all CPS hoops and I speak to them with kindness and they send BS to me,.... there's nothing wrong with me calling them out at this point! I'm done trying to be nice to people who are not nice to my GK's.

Thank you all for your prayers for my GKs. Thank you for supporting me with ideas and allowing me to sound off!

Nutsandbolts, I don't think there's anything wrong with calling them out. Here in NJ children in the care of CPS have died -- of starvation!!! And this is after they claim they regularly visited the foster families and, in some cases, the bio families. Of course, the quality of CPS varies by state, but you can never be too careful.

They're overworked, underpaid, and God-knows-what-else, and they need closer supervision by everyone, in my opinion.

If I had major problems with CPS I would be hounding my politicians and the media.

Sarah we are going to the media. I have writen to my state reps with no reply, which that too will be addressed in the media. The Judge said after the psych eval and if it comes out good, we do not need him to get the kids back,cps can just do so unless there is an issue which he set aug 31 up for review. if everything is clean and cps still refusses us the kids prior to the aug 31review...media and law suites will be put in play by the time Aug 31gets here. I'm not going to just stand passive while cps neglects my gk and harrasses me. I'm not nor ever was the drug user in this case, yet they are treating me like I'm the bio of these kids!

You go girl!! CPS was awful to us until we got our own attorney and then they were so much more accommodating and helpful. I hope this resolves quickly and those kids get to safe place! God bless you for your spunk and determination! Place anger in the right spot-your daughter who got you all in this mess in the first place. You can't help it if you got sick. But really, the worker who did not like the decor has an inappropriate gender bias!

Praying for you!

Good Plan!!! I hope that it shines a light on the corruption you are experiencing.

Two weeks ago they asked for us to get a Pysch test. Judge wants results by Aug 31. at the review...Still no contact for appt. Lawyer isn't calling me back, I had to make an appt. for today for him to call me back! So what happens on the 31st. if there is no test done yet of no results????

Oh course it isn't your fault however; you will get the backlash because they will continue the hearing. That is what happened to us because the SW didn't do his paperwork and the hearing is now continued!!