How sick

[chelelev]

Makes me yearn for those social worker days again.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/17/missing.baby/index.html

Comments

[chelelev.livejournal.com]

Back when we were in South Carolina and in college, I worked for the Guardian ad Litem program (in some states it is known as CASA). We were who spoke for the child in family court, usually abuse cases. When there had been a report to DSHS (Child Protective Services elsewhere), we would, independently from social services, investigate the allegations. This involved talking to everyone involved - parents, teachers, child, professionals, visiting the home, etc. Then a report was submitted to the Court. Our program had our own lawyer and everything. We had some volunteers but the office staff usually had to do much of the work themselves (or at least double check it). Often the volunteers wouldn't do the report and I would be typing it up at 11 at night while on the phone with the case worker.

On occasion, for our long term cases, I would be the visitation supervisor if they wanted to do something with the kids. Sat through many a boring parade so come little kid could see her daddy. We had kids die while in the program - they usually had transferred to another county who wasn't as diligent as ours was - but never the GAL or social workers.

There was a man who threatened everyone, he was caught building pipe bombs. There was one for the judge, case worker and someone else but not us. The entire family was psycotic, we saw them quite a bit. Grandma made her money from staging accidents and heaven help you if you were the daughter-in-law and fell out of her good graces. The allegations fly then.