[HthrRenee]

How exactly are family planning meetings supposed to work when working through the county CPS in Texas? I received a call last Tuesday about a planned family meeting on Thursday. The sixteen month old already had two doctor appointments scheduled at the time, so I was to participate by phone.

Their caseworker returned my return call to her VM from the day before a few minutes before the meeting. During this call, she stated they would be calling me shortly from the actual meeting. I held onto my cell phone for dear life while hauling two infants to doctors all over the city so as not to miss hearing the ring. NO ONE EVER CALLED.

When I asked about the meeting during their visitation today, their worker seemed confused as to what call I was even referring to and why I would want to know what took place at their family planning meeting. She said she guessed no one needed to hear anything from me.

I find this quite offensive as I've been the sole care provider for two infants for over a month, one was three weeks old when I got them, and not one person thought to ask me how they are doing, eating, sleeping, ANYTHING?

I did finally get her to say they will be returning home or to a relative at some point and that it would be more than a month. It took some major coercion to get that much information.

Their caseworker has not been to my home yet and has only briefly spoken to me in the lobby of CPS with the birth family present. I've requested to speak with her specifically about some concerns and she says she will get with me, but never does, so she couldn't have provided any information received from me previously.

I honestly thought foster parents were supposed to be more involved. Am I completely naive to believe I am anything but a babysitter?

[parenting-over-40]

Interesting that these children have been with you over a month and CPS hasn't come for a visit yet. I know some FP's have that experience but I haven't.

As for the family planning meeting, I have been to those. This is really about the birth parents and where they are on working their plan. A mediator run the meeting and is responsible for asking questions of the birth parents and CPS. Basically, they are making sure everything is being done to give the birth parents a chance to work their plan. The birth parents hear from a third party what they need to do to get their child/children back and that they will lose their child/children if they don't complete their plan.

Despite the fact that I have been to these meetings before, I have yet to be asked about the child. I recall the mediator one time apologizing for now getting to me. However, these meetings tend to run behind schedule. For the most part, I usually just sit there. The big benefit for me is to hear first hand what is going on. That information gives me an opportunity to ask more questions at a more appropriate time.

[carlychan]

I don't think it is odd that you weren't needed for input. These meetings (in my experience) do not include the fp. The children's worker should have met with you to see the children by now. Has she seen them at visits or somewhere else (daycare)? SW's are suppose to see their "kids" once a month (at least).

I know you are frustrated, but for the most part your "job" is to take care of the kids. You will not have any input into the parents lives or the permancy planning (until it gets to tpr/adoption).