GlobeOpinion t1_jddiqza wrote
We had an op-ed earlier this week from a survivor of the child welfare system:
It wasn’t too long after my family was thrust into homelessness that the Department of Children and Families found out.
The DCF caseworkers who came to our hotel room banged on the front door, demanding entry. They scrutinized every inch of the room and questioned my siblings and me, looking for any sign of child neglect. One visit gave rise to countless unannounced visits over the years as school staff reported our family to social services for the same reason: homelessness. Because of that state policy, DCF came to investigate, not to help, searching for any reason to separate my siblings from one another instead of trying to keep my family together.
When many Americans hear the phrase “family separation,” they think of the US immigration policies that allow border agents to rip children from their parents. What many might not see, however, is another horrific form of family separation, one executed by child protective service agencies.
Many states, such as Massachusetts, New York, and California, define neglect to include an inability to provide a child with adequate food, clothing, and shelter. A family’s struggle to maintain stable housing is interpreted as a form of neglect instead of as a consequence of policy failure.
n8loller t1_jdfz3ie wrote
It would be nice if instead of focusing the state's efforts on policing families like yours and separating families, we would have provided y'all with assistance in finding a home and ensuring y'all had enough food (if that was an issue for you). Seems like a much better use of state funds to me.
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