[LANENA8083]

I have a 8 month baby boy who was placed in my home cause mom was abusing drugs crack,cocaine. she has 5 other children who have been adopted by different people. we just started doing visitation every tuesday for two hours. My concern is that she wants to go into a drug program with the baby. she must know the system becasue she wants to go into the rehab she was in when she was pregnant with the child. My question is would ACS aprove this?? Would they imediately remove him from my home to go with mom or mom has to be in the program for a while before they consider letting her take him with her. I really feel sad for the baby to be put into this kind of environment becasue what about she doesn't go through and the baby would just go back into the system. Anyone has gone through this or maybe something similar that can help me out alittle??

[Bailey071097]

In many programs for single moms the requirement is to have the baby with them. If this is a requirement, the department would most likely move the baby with the mom. Sorry, but it does happen.

[swanzie]

This is totally an opinion - so take it with a grain of salt.... I have heard that if the other children were TPR'd that DSS doesn't have to go out of their way to help this mother with this child - the whole case plan is up to her to work - and she might end up having to prove she can do rehab by herself without the child since he is already in the states care.

HOWEVER, if she relinquished the other ones - that is another thing - then she will be given all the support and encouragement that is needed for RU - and every chance in the world to prove herself - so in your case I would suspect that they would let her take the child to this rehab.

And then again - if the cw had 1/2 a brain - and she didn't make it thru the first time while pregnant - why would they give her another chance?

Its a hard call - and these opinions are only based on my limited dealings with dss - learning the in's and outs sitting in court many many times on the case we have now...but as you know each state is so much different - and even each sw can be different in how much they help one family vs. another.

Personally - I hope they leave the child with you and make the biom prove herself before even considering ru..it can do alot more damage bouncing the child around like this. If what you say is true that this child had been exposed to drugs while bmom was pregnant - then this child has already learned that the world is not a safe place to be and hopefully - by being in a safe place (with you) outdoes any harm that biomom has already done - this is one sure way to lead a child into the RAD zone...sorry to be so negative - it is just unimaginable to me to do such damage to one of the greatest gifts that you can be given - and then there are those of us out there who struggle with inf. issues who are picking up their pieces. i guess I am just in one of my moods - sorry for my vent.

[straightblues]

In California once parents have had chilren taken from them throught the TPR adoption process, the law states that the DCFS does not have to do any reunification services on future cases. This is the law. However, they do still do it sometimes. I would research the laws in your area and make sure the social workers know the law, beacause many time they don't.

By the way, renunification and visits are different. While the children are still theirs, the parents have rights to see them. That is why visits are maintained even when other reunification services like drug rehab, drug testing and case plans are no usually not provided.

Good luck.

[LANENA8083]

I thank you guys for the info I mean I don't mind if the child goes back to the mom if she gets her act together my thing is for her to go intoa program get herself cleaned and when she is well and fit to take care of her child then for acs to give her child i wouldn't deny her a second chance because i don't know her past with the other children but i would say to be in the safe side i would hope she goes into the program by herself get the help she needs then get her child this way if she doesn't comply the child is not putinto the system again. i am just looking out for the best of the child. And honestly I know the plan is always to reunify the child with bio-mom but if she really loved her child she would not take him into a rehab with her and expose him to all that he is a stage that he's just beginning to learn his surroundings why not give him a better chance??? But u know that just my opinion my mother instinct talking LOL

[twinflana]

I dont want to be discouraging but the law is different in different states. I was told my more than one cw that in my county here in florida they must give parents 12 months to get their act together regardless of other children that have already been tpr'd. I have had 9 placements and not one of them was the first child in care. I cant answer your question about whether or not they will move the baby but just wanted you to know that usually it doesnt matter if other children were taken or not in the beginning.