Back in May of this year my 6 year old son who has some anger issues struck my wife in the head with an object in the middle of a meltdown. In a moment of anger response I popped him a few times with a wooden back scratcher and it left some bruises. I cried with my son that night because I was ashamed and promised to never spank him or his brother ever again. Keep in my mind this was maybe the third spanking he had ever received in his life. and I certainly never intended to leave bruises. Nevertheless, CPS was called from the school and this boondoggle begins here.
I met what is the first of 3 different CPS workers the day after the incident. Explained the situation and he followed me to my home spoke with me and my kids. He checked my pantry, water, and refrigerator and said he would return the next day to speak to my wife since she was not present at that time. Well he never ever shows up.
2 months go by with no contact with CPS at all until we get a call from a neighboring county CPS worker who says she is taking this case because our county is overbooked and she wanted to come by and speak with us. We make an appointment she comes by and speaks with us and our children and says she is going to recommend that this case be closed to her supervisor and could I just sign this safety plan that says we have agreed to not use corporal punishment any longer on the children. I complied since I was doing this in my home already and she left.
Another month goes by and I get a certified letter stating that my name is now on an abuse registry for life as my case was found substantiated. Still I say if this is over I will just have to own up to this mistake and accept it.
Now it's 4 months later from the incident and a NEW CPS worker calls and says he just got the case and he wants to meet with us. I explain the other 2 previous caseworkers and how we believed 2 times now this was over. In the period of time since the incident our son has been attending Occupational and Play Therapy weekly, he was tested by a psychologist, and he's been doing very well in school and has had almost no outbursts, he was even playing youth football. I explained we did all of these things without the recommendation of DFCS and we are just frustrated that this case is still open as we would like to move on. This worker says he will convey all of this to his supervisor and hopefully they can close the case.
Another month almost goes by and the 3rd CPS worker calls and says that CPS wants me to go to one counseling session just to make sure there are no glaring issues and they can close the case. I simply ask if they can put that in writing and they refuse. So I refuse to do the counseling session. He states the next step would likely be court involvement. I ask if that means he is threatening to take my kids and he gives the standard "That's the last thing we want to do..."
Can someone please advise me on what I should do in this situation. I obviously don't want to traumatize my kids if they are planning on taking them, which doesn't seem likely, but who knows with CPS? However, I also do not want to just keep accepting their every demand for however long they decide. I'd like to just move on from this mistake and not have myself and my children reminded anytime CPS feels like it. At this point it's been 5 months from the incident. Up until this point i have signed releases, given them references, always allowed them in my house and let them speak to my children, but at some point I have to say enough is enough. What should I do?
Please help me!!
Submitted September 13, 2017 at 10:52PM by bigsnug http://ift.tt/2y7LFIi legaladvice
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