child protective service (neighborhood, schools, live in)

[JanND]

talk to your campus support person, is there someone that works w/ foreign students?? Ask if there is an attorney you can talk to. Ask an attorney for a free consultation, lots of attorneys will give free consultations. If you have legal aid program at your college, or a multicultural student center, call and speak to someone soon. In my state, the CPS has time frames in which they have to investigate a case, if they haven't contacted you yet, they will be soon. It might beneficial to talk to your advisor on campus, or an attorney. Here on our campus students from other countries have a whole network of supportive people on campus. I hope you do too. Call someone who has helped you w/ starting school, and ask them to help you find an attorney to talk to right away. Rmember, you didn't call the police because you were looking for your child, perhaps you didn't even know that you were supposed to call before looking for him. Explain how things might be done in your country, and while it may not be an excuse, it is a difference in the cultures perhaps. Maybe they will help you by guiding you in the programs that your disabled son qualifies for, and other things for your family that will help you as you transition here. Don't forget if you need an interpreter ask right away, especially if there are papers, you want to have someone explain them in your native language maybe.

[saudi mother]

Thank you so much janND. I'll try tomorrow to find an attorney.

[saudi mother]

Hello everybody, just today the CPS worker went to my son's school and talked to him. The CPS worker asked him to record the meeting and asked him some questions but no body came to us. Is that legal to ask children without the presence of their parents. the CPS sat with him without even the teacher to be with them. my son's english is good but not to understand every thing. my son said that he didn't like that. It's the first time for him to face such a situation and he was afraid. they didn't contact me at all. why do you think they didn't contact me?

[vinmar4]

I would get as much information as I can regarding my rights so I would know what to do and how to handle the situation. Go to DFPS - Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and then click on Child protective services and there is a parent's guide.
Best of luck to you and your family

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by saudi mother

Hello everybody, just today the CPS worker went to my son's school and talked to him. The CPS worker asked him to record the meeting and asked him some questions but no body came to us. Is that legal to ask children without the presence of their parents. the CPS sat with him without even the teacher to be with them. my son's english is good but not to understand every thing. my son said that he didn't like that. It's the first time for him to face such a situation and he was afraid. they didn't contact me at all. why do you think they didn't contact me?

It is, in fact, standard practice in a CPS investigation. They usually talk to a child alone, so that parents cannot influence the child's behavior in any way, and so the child feels they can say thing without their parent knowing. Children are unlikely to say negative things about a parent in front of them, especially if they fear reprisals. I am NOT saying this is how your child would feel, or what you would do. I am just talking about the reason this is standard practice.

They don't contact parents in advance to minimize parental prepping and coaching of the kid. Again, not trying in any way to suggest you would do that.

I understand the natural concern this causes, but don't let it concern you beyond that. They are following procedure, this doesn't indicate any special concern from them. Chin up!

[saudi mother]

Thank you vinmar4 and Macbeth2003. i know that they wan't to know what happened but, Is it legal? I remember reading a story when I was studying ESL, and it was called The Clint, the lawyer said that the police can't ask the child without his parent there.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by saudi mother

Thank you vinmar4 and Macbeth2003. i know that they wan't to know what happened but, Is it legal? I remember reading a story when I was studying ESL, and it was called The Clint, the lawyer said that the police can't ask the child without his parent there.

POlice generally cannot, but CPS can. Different rules. CPS is presumed to be acting in the interests of the child. This rule grew up not so much from a case like yours (I really believe you are going ot be fine, and this is a pro-forma, once reported they have to check it out, by the book kind of thing) but for cases like my wife sees at work. When a parent is beating a child, or molesting a child, the child is often reluctant to say anything in front of the parents; therefore, they interview separately, and it has been held to be legal.

[saudi mother]

THank you so much Macbeth.

[JanND]

How is it going???

[TX75007]

Do you belong to a mosque? Have you reached out to them for advice? What about an Arabic speaking female lawyer? There are a few in the area.

We found our daycare via our church. And many churches also provide daycare or have people who partner with the church to provide it. Or they know a member who provides the same.

As for CPS, TX law is quite clear on what the police have to do. In TX, the police are not corrupt or tied a particular tribe or enforce "morals" - they really do try to protect the community. And this what they are trying to do.