child protective service (Dallas: house, pre-school, professionals)

[saudi mother]

Hello every body
I have a really big problem. I have been in Dallas for 6 months and today my special need kid left home we tried to search in the nieborhood and finally we found him with the police. they said we should've called them immediatly and because of that they have to report him as a neglected kid to the child protective service. they said that they will make a visit to invistigate the reasons . I'm really terrified and I can't think. I'm here as astudent for 4 years. is it possible that they can take him away.
please any one has an advice or has experienced something like that.i'll appreciate your help.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I think if you get nervous or are unsure of your English, you need to ask for an interpreter to be present so you don't say the wrong thing.

I think they will understand that you thought he was near by. You will have to show what you have changed to prevent this happening again.

Take a deep breath and try to relax.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[saudi mother]

Thank you so much for your advice. i really appreciate your words.

[saudi mother]

sometimes leave my special need kid alone with my normal 13 years old son. is it leagal.

[BstYet2Be]

.

This should help explain to you exactly what to expect:

DFPS - A Parent's Guide to a Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigation

I agree with SouthernBelleInUtah... take a deep breath and relax a bit for I am sure this has been a horribly trying day for both you and your child.

Most of all, I'm so thankful to hear that he was found unharmed and in good hands. For that, just be grateful for the moment... the rest I'm sure will take care of itself for the good for you both.

Best to you and yours and do take care.
.

[saudi mother]

Thank you so much for the website, but this makes me more nervous. it says that the investigation could take 30 days.

[Philip T]

saudi mom, do not worry too much. The CPS field folks do not tend to be the hardest working folks on earth, and their primary goal is to close the case.

Just look over some checklists -- kids and house clean, well fed, attending school or well-ordered home school, etc. Really they will just want to close the case.

Here is the math --> Open case = Have to work. Closed case = Do not have to do work.

Most of the alleged horror stories about CPS are from folks who really, (really, really) need to be hammered by CPS.

Sounds like the police were just annoyed or you may have hit a checklist requirement for them.

Glad you have your son back and hope one day you will be able to look back and laugh about all this.

[saudi mother]

Thank you so much philip, your words are really relief. I hope it goes as you are saying.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by saudi mother

they said that they will make a visit to invistigate the reasons .

I'm sure it will be fine. My wife is a pre-school teacher, and at one school she worked at in a bad part of town, she and the CPS worker assigned there had each other's phone number memorized, so she has a lot of experience with these issues.
An investigation sounds scary, but it really just means, "something bad happened, and we need to find out what the reason is." It doesn't mean they are coming in with any pre conceived notion that there is a problem.
If there is no issue, they will be only to happy that is the case. It means all is well, and they don't have to put another case on their huge docket. If they feel there are small problems that need to be fixed, they will help you address them and fix them. If they feel the problems are so huge that in the mean time the child is unsafe. Then and only then - which is a rare case indeed - would they take the child. Even so it is a temporary measure, designed to allow anything that needs to be done to repair the situation to be done, so your child can come home. Only in cases of true parental abuse, or when parents leave the child with an abusive caregiver, do they try and take the child as a long term or permanent solution.

These are dedicated, barely paid, overworked professionals, interested in safeguarding kids. Most are not zealots, and they have no desire to abuse their power, I think it will be just fine, and over with very quickly for you.

[CSD610]

Originally Posted by saudi mother

Hello every body
I have a really big problem. I have been in Dallas for 6 months and today my special need kid left home we tried to search in the nieborhood and finally we found him with the police. they said we should've called them immediatly and because of that they have to report him as a neglected kid to the child protective service. they said that they will make a visit to invistigate the reasons . I'm really terrified and I can't think. I'm here as astudent for 4 years. is it possible that they can take him away.
please any one has an advice or has experienced something like that.i'll appreciate your help.

Be honest about the situation and ask them to clearly explain anything you don't understand. The interpreter is a good idea if your English is not easily understood or you don't understand what has been asked.

If there are suggestions from CPS to rectify some situation so this does not happen again I would take them to heart. Also, depending on the amount of time you leave your special needs child with your other child, you might reconsider that and find someone to stay with them both.

You never know when your 10 minute walk to the market could become something more for example: some sort of accident, a delay in getting home for whatever reason, you suddenly fall ill (hopefully none of the above will happen but you never know). Accidents can also happen at the home so a responsible adult is probably the best to have with the children just in case.