The social services industry and the child welfare system were designed to assist families in need. There were situations in history that were catalyst for change which helped shape the current child welfare systems we see today.
However as the child welfare system continues to evolve in their services and regulations. The needs of the families are also evolving. Parents are facing more difficult issues with their teens and they are provided with very little support. A disconnect between the needs of families and the assistance available to families at this time as been observed.
From experience families are shuffled from one service provider to another and their needs aren’t being adequately met. Families are persuaded with promises with every new referral that the following services provider could meet their needs and help getting assistance - when it is not true.
For a single mother in Queens that has a 15 year old son who is truant from school and disobeys curfew continuously; there appears to be no solution.
The family receives preventive services; however the power of the preventive service agency and the case planner are limited. The assistance of the courts and Administration for Children’s Services are needed and no assistance has been provided.
So how does this mother become empowered? Her options for help are limited and the needs of this family are going unmet.
However, if the mother in question strikes her child then Administration for Children’s services immediately steps in to investigate and make MORE referrals. When in retrospect the situation could have been avoided if there were adequate assistance provided the first time around.
