|
Child Welfare: Not Always Black and White
Posted 8-28-2003
A national study recently
reported that none of the 32 states evaluated met the child welfare
guidelines for protecting children from abuse. While these results are
certainly unacceptable, a further look at the complexities of child welfare
may shed light on the tremendous challenges. The issue is even more relevant
today with the local news of a young girl who died, allegedly as a victim of
parental abuse.
There is a fine line between
removing a child from an abusive setting and the responsibility of working
with biological families to keep them intact. In this era of "getting
government off of people's backs," it is somewhat ironic that there are some
who think government is too lenient when allowing children to remain with
their biological parents. It may seem reasonable to error on the side of
caution, but that idea in and of itself may be a violation of parental
rights.
Often child welfare workers
act upon an anonymous tip. If they go too far, it can be a costly endeavor
for taxpayers. When I first took office, the county was embroiled in a
lawsuit where a child welfare worker, acting on an anonymous tip, removed a
child from a home where abuse was alleged. The father sued the county and,
ultimately, won a large financial settlement. It did not matter in court
that the county was following guidelines set by the state Department of
Public Welfare. Westmoreland County was on the hook. It also did not matter
that the worker cannot act without authorization from the court.
That experience did not make
Westmoreland County child welfare workers less willing to do their jobs. It
simply showed that there might be another side to the story. We only read in
the newspapers about the most extreme high-profile cases. The overwhelming
majority of cases are routine and never make the news. Confidentiality
issues are also a factor in child welfare cases, as even the Commissioners
are not informed about the particulars of cases.
When a case occurs, like the
one that recently took place, I am sure the public wonders (and justifiably
so) what went wrong. This case was complicated further by the fact that the
Armstrong County Children's Bureau was also involved because the family had
moved from Westmoreland County. The tremendously tragic results of this case
may make it seem that child welfare issues are always black and white, since
most of us cannot relate to a family environment that is not full of love
and support.
But in between stable, loving
families and those that are clearly abusive and negligent is that "gray
area," where solutions are not clear. This is where many child welfare cases
reside. How to deal with these cases in a way that protects children, as
well as parental rights, is what makes child welfare programs so
challenging. The Westmoreland County Children's Bureau works hard in very
demanding circumstances, and the family court system tries to make wise
decisions. The majority of those decisions work out favorably for children.
While the goal is a perfect record, the complexities of the legal system,
family life, and human nature make it certain there will always be
difficulties. The mission has always been, and will continue to be, to best
protect children and families. |
