How To Get Your Kids How To Get Your Kids BackBack

Parents as Case ManagersParents as Case Managers

Family ProfileFamily Profile

Jane and Frank have two sons Jane and Frank have two sons George who is 18 months and Ryan George who is 18 months and Ryan who is 6 months. Frank is Ryan's who is 6 months. Frank is Ryan's biological father but was present in biological father but was present in the relationship when George was the relationship when George was bornborn

Jane was in Foster Care for a Jane was in Foster Care for a significant part of her childhood.significant part of her childhood.

Frank has two other children with a Frank has two other children with a previous partner both of whom live in previous partner both of whom live in a permanent care placement.a permanent care placement.

Ryan and George have been in care Ryan and George have been in care for four months after a notification for four months after a notification was made by nursing staff at the was made by nursing staff at the hospital who noticed a mark that hospital who noticed a mark that looked like it could have been a burn looked like it could have been a burn on Ryan when he was brought to the on Ryan when he was brought to the hospital by his dad because he hospital by his dad because he wouldn’t stop crying. The hospital wouldn’t stop crying. The hospital also noted a failure to thrive.also noted a failure to thrive.

A PASDS residential assessment had A PASDS residential assessment had taken place and their report taken place and their report indicated that both Jane and Frank indicated that both Jane and Frank scored low on almost every indicator scored low on almost every indicator of good parenting. It recommended of good parenting. It recommended extensive parenting skills extensive parenting skills development but did not detail the development but did not detail the skills to be developed.skills to be developed.

The report also indicated a high The report also indicated a high degree of parental conflict and degree of parental conflict and recommended relationship recommended relationship counselling.counselling.

A psychological assessment noted A psychological assessment noted that Jane presented with a “flat that Jane presented with a “flat affect” and suggested Post Natal affect” and suggested Post Natal Depression. Jane was also Depression. Jane was also determined to have learning determined to have learning difficulties although her IQ registered difficulties although her IQ registered in the normal range.in the normal range.

The referral to the Skills The referral to the Skills Development service noted all of Development service noted all of these factors including the concern these factors including the concern the Jane was denying being the Jane was denying being depressed.depressed.

During contact visits Jane showed During contact visits Jane showed little interest in the children little interest in the children particularly the baby Ryan.particularly the baby Ryan.

During a contact visit the Cassis During a contact visit the Cassis record showed that Frank had left 6 record showed that Frank had left 6 month old Ryan “lying face down on month old Ryan “lying face down on the floor screaming while he left the the floor screaming while he left the room”.room”.

Contact visits were being cancelled Contact visits were being cancelled or missed or missed

The children had now been in care The children had now been in care for 5 months.for 5 months.

The Skills Development worker had The Skills Development worker had been working with the family for 3 been working with the family for 3 months. She reported that the family months. She reported that the family were not engaging in the skills were not engaging in the skills development and continued to insist development and continued to insist they were good parents who felt they were good parents who felt capable of parenting.capable of parenting.

The Protective Services Team Leader The Protective Services Team Leader stated the children were being seen stated the children were being seen as moving toward permanent care as moving toward permanent care and they did not see the children and they did not see the children being returned to their family.being returned to their family.

Jane and FrankJane and Frank

Lived 1 ½ hours from the carers Lived 1 ½ hours from the carers home.home.

Frank had a part-time job at nights Frank had a part-time job at nights and income was minimaland income was minimal

Rising fuel costs placed an increasing Rising fuel costs placed an increasing financial burden on the familyfinancial burden on the family

Jane and FrankJane and Frank

Reimbursement for fuel costs from Reimbursement for fuel costs from CP was taking monthsCP was taking months

Jane had taken Ryan to the hospital Jane had taken Ryan to the hospital twice in the first few weeks after twice in the first few weeks after birth because she could not get him birth because she could not get him to stop crying.to stop crying.

Staff told her she needed to relax Staff told her she needed to relax more with her baby.more with her baby.

While in care CP workers took Ryan While in care CP workers took Ryan to the hospital because he would not to the hospital because he would not stop cryingstop crying

Medical staff found he had an Medical staff found he had an abnormality in the way his tongue abnormality in the way his tongue was formed which was preventing was formed which was preventing him from feeding properly. This was him from feeding properly. This was corrected.corrected.

When it was explained to Jane that a When it was explained to Jane that a ‘flat affect” was a lack of emotional ‘flat affect” was a lack of emotional expression she talked about her expression she talked about her determination not to “scream and determination not to “scream and shout” as she wanted to because she shout” as she wanted to because she thought she would be seen as a bad thought she would be seen as a bad mother. Instead she “blanked out’ mother. Instead she “blanked out’ when she was with the kids. when she was with the kids.

Jane did not believe they would be Jane did not believe they would be returned and was preparing herself returned and was preparing herself to cope with losing her children for to cope with losing her children for good.good.

Frank changed Ryan's nappy and Frank changed Ryan's nappy and quickly went to dispose of it and quickly went to dispose of it and wash his hands as he had been told wash his hands as he had been told to do. He placed Ryan on the floor on to do. He placed Ryan on the floor on his tummy while he did this. Ryan his tummy while he did this. Ryan cried at being put down. This was cried at being put down. This was recorded. Disposing of the nappy and recorded. Disposing of the nappy and washing his hands was not.washing his hands was not.

Before their children had been Before their children had been removed Jane and Frank had rarely removed Jane and Frank had rarely argued. Now they argued all the argued. Now they argued all the time. They wanted to go to time. They wanted to go to counselling to show they would counselling to show they would comply with the recommendations comply with the recommendations but the CP had not had time to but the CP had not had time to organise it. organise it.

We needed someone to tell us what We needed someone to tell us what it was we had to do to get our kids it was we had to do to get our kids back.back.

How To Get Your Kids BackHow To Get Your Kids Back

Positive conditions for changePositive conditions for change Raise the protective instincts in Raise the protective instincts in

parentsparents Support the negotiation of statutory Support the negotiation of statutory

systemssystems Parents become the driving force Parents become the driving force

behind getting kids out of carebehind getting kids out of care

What skills does a champion need?What skills does a champion need?

To know the systems and how they To know the systems and how they workwork

To understand the Foster care agency To understand the Foster care agency and how it worksand how it works

To understand emotional intelligenceTo understand emotional intelligence To understand their child/rens needsTo understand their child/rens needs To know how to advocate for their To know how to advocate for their

child/rens rightschild/rens rights To know what needs to happenTo know what needs to happen