Child abuse cases taking a toll

[Texas53]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA011908.01A.Turnover0119.2a77285.html

The rate of child abuse and child death has taken its toll on Child Protective Service workers. San Antonio has lost 75% of their CPS people just in 2007. San Antonio is #1 in the state.

Why they quit
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA100905.1B.unit39_folo.3937c1f.html

When one person quits, all loads are shifted (expected) and caseloads grow from 50 to 100. Working 6 days a week, no vacation, and told to be at 70% accuracy, became harder and harder. In fact, these were a Strike Team the governor had sent in. Some of these people were single parents.

Though CPS is always criticized, seeing a battered body or dead child can certainly cause burn out quick. In SA, if 200 cases are successfully closed, within a few days you have 200 new ones.

Before we slam these people, how would we feel trying to do the job they do?

[Roamer]

Wow. 75%!!! That's a huge percentage of people to lose. Especially when they're so needed. But yes, I can certainly see how major burn out could happen in this job and others like it.

[LiveLaughLuv]

Before we slam these people, how would we feel trying to do the job they do?

I wouldn't be able to handle it. I would take it to heart.

I think being underpaid and overworked adds to those who do slip through the cracks. There aren't many social workers anymore. Everyone needs to be the eyes and ears. These precious children need tender loving care.

Even as we make it possible for those who have problems, to place their child with a police officer, a hospital any safe haven, they still choose not to.

[Texas53]

A friend of mine who is an Asst. Investigator, told me yesterday that whenever chidren are taken away from some of the women, they actually make the remark "I'll just have another one and keep that one." When these same women are asked who is more important, 'their kids or boyfriends", they will be blunt in saying the BF is more important.

What is wrong with these women? Don't they have anymore pride in themselves then this? Do they not have any true maternal emotions for the babies they make? I have heard similar statement from women who don't think anyone is listening and they are talking on their cell phones!

[awakening2lite]

A friend of mine who is an Asst. Investigator, told me yesterday that whenever chidren are taken away from some of the women, they actually make the remark "I'll just have another one and keep that one." When these same women are asked who is more important, 'their kids or boyfriends", they will be blunt in saying the BF is more important.

What is wrong with these women? Don't they have anymore pride in themselves then this? Do they not have any true maternal emotions for the babies they make? I have heard similar statement from women who don't think anyone is listening and they are talking on their cell phones!

I wonder if "mother's" who have that attitude are having the child to get a state or child support check or to trap the man in the relationship.

[Texas53]

I wonder if "mother's" who have that attitude are having the child to get a state or child support check or to trap the man in the relationship.

Some all 3. However, many of the women that we talked about have different baby daddy's with each child. Most of the men split as soon as the women get pregnant. Yet the women still have the attitude if they get pregnant, the man "loves" them. But they are willing to dump the kids to keep the man.

[Roamer]

And in the meantime, the only ones suffering are these poor little children. :mad:

[KittyMom]

It's so frustrating. Especially for those who can't have kids and would love these babies as their own. But laziness, selfishness, (take your pick) has these walking wombs holding on to these kids as long as they have value to them.
:(

[Texas53]

It's so frustrating. Especially for those who can't have kids and would love these babies as their own. But laziness, selfishness, (take your pick) has these walking wombs holding on to these kids as long as they have value to them.
:(


All of these women live on the West side in the 78203 zip code. In this area, the number of births of unmarriaed teen or young women (ages 13-30) who have not just one child, but one after another and different baby's daddys is 4X the National Average.

We have the problem all over the city and the state for that matter. But the above area is the worst and the state and ranks Nationally in its numbers. In fact this was in our news and the Houston Chronicle last year.

[gramvof14]

It just breaks my heart I guess I will never understand how a mother or father or anyone can harm a child.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg238/gramvof14/sad.png

[emmeblu]

:1187603408.CR.MotheFor the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone could harm a child! Those poor children who have to live in fear of the abuse they receive at the hands of their parents. Most of these babies are too young to even understand why they are being hurt.

So Sad to me.

[Texas53]

:1187603408.CR.MotheFor the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone could harm a child! Those poor children who have to live in fear of the abuse they receive at the hands of their parents. Most of these babies are too young to even understand why they are being hurt.

So Sad to me.


I think if I had chosen to be a CPS Investigator, by now, I would be so burned out I would be locked away in a padded cell. Everyday more child abuse and deaths. I don't know that I could do that job, therefore I am reluctant to criticize them too much. Many problems with the system has to do with the law by the state legislatures that tie there their hands behind their back and lack of good laws to punish the abusers to the fullest extent.