Legally Kidnapped

Revealed: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don't want the government spying on you (and they include 'pork', 'cloud' and 'Mexico')

2012-05-27T18:51:00.001-07:00

Revealed: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don't want the government spying on you (and they include 'pork', 'cloud' and 'Mexico')

The Department of Homeland Security has been forced to release a list of keywords and phrases it uses to monitor social networking sites and online media for signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S.

Note: I know this is a wee bit off topic, but how could I resist?

Lucky Fetuses - Baby LK Report For May 27th 2012

2012-05-27T17:36:00.001-07:00

Killed runaway failed by state

2012-05-27T15:51:00.001-07:00

Killed runaway failed by state

BY the time the 10-year-old runaway girl was killed by a car on a dark country road, the "very traumatised child" had been in 21 foster care placements with 11 different carers.

More Arizona kids stuck in foster care limbo

2012-05-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

More Arizona kids stuck in foster care limbo

A recent increase in the number of foster children in Arizona has put mounting pressure on juvenile courts and made it more difficult to quickly resolve such cases.

'Don't Beat Me' Merton Council fostering ad criticised

2012-05-27T15:38:00.003-07:00

'Don't Beat Me' Merton Council fostering ad criticised

The sight of a young child wearing boxing gloves above the caption "Now, No One Can Beat Me!" was designed to “grab people’s attention”, Merton Council said.

Joyce Maynard Announces Failure of Her Adoptive Family

2012-05-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Joyce Maynard Announces Failure of Her Adoptive Family

In 2010, Joyce Maynard wrote an article for More magazine announcing her adoption of two girls from Ethiopia. I read it (it’s no longer available online), and although Ms. Maynard and I had never met, I wrote her, congratulating her — and adding, as a parent a little over a year into the adoption of a child (as opposed to a baby) myself, some words of caution. Ms. Maynard had declared herself “happy, happy, happy.” I wrote knowing that even when “happy” didn’t feel like the applicable adjective for our changed family, happiness still appeared in unexpected ways.

Arizona's courts overloaded with CPS cases

2012-05-27T14:18:00.001-07:00

Arizona's courts overloaded with CPS cases

When the state of Arizona takes custody of a child because of suspected abuse or neglect, authorities ultimately have one goal: finding a safe, permanent home for the child.

Report urges support for kinship care

2012-05-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

Report urges support for kinship care

As more of America’s children are raised by relatives other than their parents, state and local governments need to do better in helping these families cope with an array of financial and emotional challenges, a new report concludes.

Juvenile justice system ineffective: Enforcement agencies

2012-05-27T14:09:00.004-07:00

Juvenile justice system ineffective: Enforcement agencies

New Delhi : India's juvenile justice system has not been effective in safeguarding the rights of half a million street children in the capital, according to various enforcement agencies.

Rise in number of foster children in Arizona puts pressure on juvenile courts

2012-05-27T14:05:00.003-07:00

Rise in number of foster children in Arizona puts pressure on juvenile courts

A recent increase in the number of foster children in Arizona has put mounting pressure on juvenile courts and made it more difficult to quickly resolve such cases.

Franklin Schools uses DYFS on parents

2012-05-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Fla. committee to review all child abuse deaths

2012-05-26T20:33:00.001-07:00

Fla. committee to review all child abuse deaths

Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins says his agency will now allow the state child death review team to review all child deaths.

Social workers told to return snatched baby to France

2012-05-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

Social workers told to return snatched baby to France

Two parallel stories last week highlighted what has become one of the most bizarre features of our “child protection” system – the fanatical determination of our social workers to track down mothers who have fled overseas to escape their clutches, and bring their children back to “care” in England.

FLAVOR FLAV Facing Prison for Not Paying Child Support

2012-05-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

FLAVOR FLAV Facing Prison for Not Paying Child Support

List of things Flavor Flav apparently thinks are a joke -- 911 and child support.

Only 8% of Florida foster kids have lawyer

2012-05-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Only 8% of Florida foster kids have lawyer

While more than half of Palm Beach County foster children have attorneys looking out for their legal rights in court, those in the rest of the state are not as lucky.

Reform ASFA 1997

2012-05-26T07:10:00.001-07:00

Reform ASFA 1997

Reform Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997

***Since the enactment of ASFA in 1997, the number of children placed in, as well as adopted from, foster care has risen at a disturbing rate. Children are being removed from falsely accused parents without tangible evidence of wrongdoing. Nearly 99% of all children in foster care are now deemed 'special needs', which further increases federal funding. The title 'Special Needs' was previously only assigned to children with documented physical, mental or psychological disabilities; it now encompasses children in therapy, those on psychotropic medications and suffering with attachment/abandonment issues as a direct result of being removed from loving parents and homes.

Court rules DHS must provide foster parent information to media

2012-05-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

Court rules DHS must provide foster parent information to media

An appeals court has upheld a Tulsa district judge's ruling that the Department of Human Services must provide information on foster parents to the Tulsa World and television station KOKI-23.

Simons: Alberta care system ‘horribly broken,’ brother of slain worker says

2012-05-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

Simons: Alberta care system ‘horribly broken,’ brother of slain worker says

Teen accused of murder should have been in hospital, not group home, he argues

GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF SECRECY OVER CHILD ABUSE FIGURES

2012-05-26T05:45:00.001-07:00

GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF SECRECY OVER CHILD ABUSE FIGURES

The South Australian Government is being accused of excessive secrecy in failing to report accurate numbers of children being sexually abused in remote parts of the state.

Sandusky’s Second Mile charity moves to dissolve

2012-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

Sandusky’s Second Mile charity moves to dissolve

No longer able to raise money, the charity Jerry Sandusky founded in 1977 for at-risk youth is moving to dissolve and divert its assets to a Texas nonprofit.

Sask. foster care suit launched

2012-05-26T05:23:00.003-07:00

Sask. foster care suit launched

Suggesting the Saskatchewan government failed in its legal responsibilities toward children abused in foster care, a Regina law firm has filed a unique proposed classaction lawsuit.

UNITY AND RE-UNIFICATION We deserve a second chance!

2012-05-26T05:01:00.004-07:00

Sign this petition...

UNITY AND RE-UNIFICATION We deserve a second chance!

This is important for justice of Nydaya I'Lexia Green and regaining relationship, love, and trust with her mother as well as society as a whole. It is also important because it will change the circumstances for thousands of other children and families adversely affected by Judge Bailey's decisions. Nydaya I'Lexia Green has been on supervised visits with her mom since May 2011. There have been no incidents during the visits and in fact mom has been an ideal model parent at visits, and is often asked for new workers to be allowed to observe the visits.

Norway NRI children in new family row

2012-05-25T20:52:00.004-07:00

Norway NRI children in new family row

Within a month of their return to India, two NRI children, who were earlier taken into foster-care by the Norwegian Childcare Services, find themselves in a new controversy - their families have filed police complaints against each other alleging threats to kill.

Judge dismisses suit against Cumberland County district attorney

2012-05-25T20:37:00.001-07:00

Judge dismisses suit against Cumberland County district attorney

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson, which was filed in connection with a custody dispute over a 5-year-old girl.

Thousands more children taken into care in wake of Baby Peter case

2012-05-25T20:32:00.002-07:00

Thousands more children taken into care in wake of Baby Peter case

Baby Peter's death three years ago has created a fundamental shift in the nature of child protection work, study finds