Protection from Neglect and Abuse they say. The State of New Jersey thinks they are on a path of great things with this government agency.
Now before we get all the backlash of all the great things this agency does, I’m sure they do. I’m sure we will have all kinds of nasty comments from workers of DCPP, and friends and family of those workers or know someone that works for DCPP. This agency may help some families but I feel this agency tears more families apart then helps them build up. But in my experience and this investigation I’m giving this agency a failing grade. I have been working with this family and several others that this agency has failed. I’ll explain more in this article.
With that being said children and kids need both parents, or guardians, or caretakers. Everyone needs a role model. Not just one. They need a team of people growing this little seed into a productive member of society.
Alienation has been studied time and time again. This should be a criminal act. It should be considered neglect and abuse but in this great state it is overlooked. A parent we have worked with for some time has not seen his child in several years. We have seen all the divorce paperwork and court orders. This parent has more custody of this child and has been told alienation is not something this agency works with. The other parent has taught their child to hate, ignore, and avoid this other parent. There is court documents confirming alienation, and the parent doing the alienation has been court ordered to bring the alienated child to reunification. This has been ignored for years and the court system turns the other way. The amount psychological damage this does to a child may be irreversible. It’s time for this state to make changes. So I want to hear from you in the comments. Question number # 1. Is alienation a form of abuse and neglect?
Medication. So another parent is playing games and not giving medication to the other parent. Let’s take is a step further and state this special needs child is not medicated with the other parent. Neglect and abuse. Nope not our concern. Another statement of the division of DCPP. This parent normally during exchange of the child or children gets the medication from the other parent. That parent does not give or get the correct number of medication or does not get it at all. DCPP also does not get involved in this matter. What is a parent to do? Courts, and DCPP state it is not there problem. Question # 2. Should DCPP be of assistance with medications when this is a serious neglect and abuse issue?
Animals. One parent has pets. The other does not. The parent that does not have pets reports to DCPP and the child’s pediatrician reported scars, and bites from animals within the other parents household. DCPP nothing they can do, but investigate and do nothing to intervene. Now the child continuously still goes to the other parent with cuts, scraps, and has scars from the animals from within the household of the other parent. Question # 3. Should DCPP be able to act and fix problems within a residence causing injuries to a child?
Bruising and Marks. Another thing the agency will check, but will not act on, unless it’s clear and convincing evidence of a problem. I get it, it’s not an easy thing to deal with but when a parent reports a problem and clearly is told by DCPP that it’s not an issue. This is a problem. Question # 4.
Dirty child or children within a household. One parent reports this. The other is investigated multiple different times over a course of several years. Again it’s okay for the child and household to be dirty apparently. DCPP worker states it’s not a house they would live in but there is nothing they can do. Question # 5. Do you find it acceptable for DCPP to find a dirty child and household and not be able to act upon it?
Reports: They are confidential. They are run by the government. I understand they are sensitive, and very subjective in a court of law but yet the caller, and actor cannot get copies. There is no transparency or recourse for a parent on one end of this report to make changes. These things follow you for your entire life, and are written on only the opinion of someone that has a college degree, and not any family specialized training.
We would like to hear your thoughts but this has got to be changed. Let’s hear your opinions. Lets hear your positive stories. Waiting for change and hopefully information from your comments can get this to be a more thoroughly discussed matter.
You hire a GAL for the children.
I have nothing good to say about DYFS or DCPP or it’s employees.
Typical untrained government employees
I personally have been on both sides of DCPP. With a case being opened on me over not my own actions but the actions of my children’s father. And more recently, I have been a foster parent. DCPP staff are not correctly trained (IMO) and they have entirely too high of a volume of case loads. They need to revamp this whole department and give them the training they need.
1. Yes alienation is a form or abuse and should be taken seriously but is very difficult to prove and address from an Agency standpoint. 2. If the medication is for a serious health condition such as diabetes then yes, it’s a DCPP issue. If it’s for behavioral or other non life threatening issues than no, that’s a parenting choice. Albeit may not a good parenting choice but not abuse. 3. Pets…again if the animal is causing serious injuries than yes it needs to be addressed by DCPP, but scratches and superficial bites aren’t abuse. That’s part of having a family pet. 4. Bruising and marks come from many sources and the age and activity level of the child are a factor. I have 2 toddlers with bumps and bruises on their heads and faces on a daily basis and no one raises a hand to them, they’re just very active clumsy kids. 5. Dirty is a matter of opinion and circumstance, not necessarily neglect. My kids look like coal miners at the end of the day from down in the dirt playing. I would never take them out in public like that but at home it’s fair game. Poor housekeeping is also a matter of opinion. Unless there is a cleanliness issue that could result in illness, such as rodents or insects, then being a terrible housekeeper isn’t neglect. All of this is my opinion but I hope this helps.
MaryBeth Colosi
They are not there to help you at all, regardless of what they might say. Whatever you need to do- beg, borrow, steal- lawyer up.
Good for nothing bureaucrats. To Brittany who “ I put on 20lbs. Doing this job”. Who gives af, the Collingswoods boys who ended up eating sheetrock because of your system’s NEGLECT. You only changed names and not the system.
???????
This article seems irresponsible & one sided. There’s a different platform for family court residential custody issues aka “alienation” verse child abuse/neglect. Is the child in imminent danger? Does the child have basic needs met? The scenario with animals doesn’t specify whether there is imminent danger? DCPP has to prioritize whats important. A heroin addict using in front of kids or a less than perfectly clean home? No system or organization is perfect but I’ve seen DCPP help parents gain sobriety, employment, housing, counseling, parenting skills, anger management, utility assistance, linkage to special need supports for children and help lots of little people who don’t have a voice. Are all cops bad because some are? Same applies for DCPP.
Worst agency ever! They told me my ex is permitted to abuse our son being that’s the way he parents.
They don’t care about the children let alone the family Very uneducated and goes after people with money and not the people who really need help!!!
I’ve never dealt with this agency, nor has anyone in my family, so I dont feel qualified to judge them.
Kelsey Disher
Ok social workers put their lives on the line on a regular basis. They are expected to have a masters degree. It is thankless job in every way.. because obviously they are NEVER called into a happy situation! And for this we pay them maybe 40 000. With average tuition at 45 000 x 6 yrs of education. Maybe there is a problem there?
Sheli Helm Disher also unless you are in the field of social work, the average person cant even imagine the level of dysfunction and issues that exists and the limited resources; i. e. beds for inpatient rehab, foster homes. Im almost certain these same people complaining aren’t deeply involved in helping people because if they were they have a wider perspective on what the real issues are. Just like people think teaching is easy because they get summers off. People love to judge as an outsider looking in but not having a full perspective.
Tam Ara proud mom of a social worker… much respect… underpaid, overworked, undervalued ….?
Sheli Helm Disher lmfao. Most social workers sit behind a desk. They’re aren’t putting their lives on the line. ?????
Laura Schneider Lange clearly u dont know. But ok ty for ur opinion.
I lived in a apartment didnt like our neighbors total scum bags they called dyfs said i was a cocaine drug lord lol yeah living in a apartment in jackson with my wife and 3 kids took freaking 6 months to find nothing had to do random drug test embarress us calling schools and doctors after it was done i called and said im glad u wasted your time trying to find something on a good family while some child that actuly needs the help is getting none f dyfs
Pete Zito, my husband and I have had our x son in law call on us 8xs , yes 8xs! It’s bullshit but in all honesty they have to check out each and every call. It’s not the caseworkers fault it’s the way the system is. You would think after the 1st 3xs he’s called and each and every single allegation was unfounded dyfs would go after the callers that abuse the system, but they don’t. I agree that the system needs a closer look. I also know that this world were all living in isn’t changing or getting better and it could just be that one call where no one shows up and it turns out to be devastating, so I get it I understand why they do what they do. I have nothing to hide so I welcome them in. It’s truly the kids who get hurt by being questioned constantly. Another reason being if the allegations were to be accurate and no one was to come out. Guess who’s getting sued? Dyfs! It’s a viscous cycle.
Isabelle Mitrosky yeah just annoying that it takes so long when u have done nothing wrong
Aps is just as bad. They continue to try to find something wrong even in situations that nothing is wrong.
I am jaded based upon my last interaction with them, in which my son was taken from me due to false accusations by his mother. I was not allowed to see him For 4 months and now have him 70% of the tome. Was (publicly and socially) labeled as a kidnapper by his mother, hazed by common ‘friends’ his daycare and family.
For starters, they are A very sexist government group. Don’t investigate properly, too quick to react in most cases of false accusations, not a group that follows through, most have the compassion of a car and absolutely no common sense.
With that being said, they are often very overworked, and (like our teachers) underpaid, they have no positive interaction with anyone at work and not as compassionate as one would expect (for fear they would bring it home.
They need better pay, mandatory weekly counseling (to debrief) and should work in pairs (with a partner) and some type of positive interaction with children in good homes (as reference)
Yes, GAL’s should be called in immediately when issued a case to investigate.
Thank you for what work you do
I am a foster parent. The entire system is broken from the top all the way down.
Theresa Perrine Wagner i can have a baby, if i go to adopt i need to jump through circles….not…thank od he blessed me with one
No shut Sherlock, this has been going on for decdes
They certainly ruined mine and my children lives. Didn’t they Debbie Helms and Vinnie Aiello?
Lindsay Schwerdt They sure did ruin my Grand Kids lives … They ruined our whole family. Period
They made up things that didn’t even happen. They just lied. In the end they knew they F**ked up & we got brushed under the rug like nothing ever happened to cover up their screw up!!
You want to hear and see the epitome of unprofessional conduct and general scumbaggery? Find a place to be a fly in the wall where there’s a group of dyfs workers cackling to eachother about their job, clients etc. They sound like complete trash….. Once they get involved, you don’t have a fucking prayer. The fact that that kind of authority is put in some of these people is fucking terrifying. I wouldnt trust them with a pet worm, let alone a kid.
They sure did ruin my Grand Kids lives … They ruined our whole family. Period
They made up things that didn’t even happen. They just lied. In the end they knew they F**ked up & we got brushed under the rug like nothing ever happened to cover up their screw up!! ? Right Lindsay Schwerdt
Debbie Helms amen! Sure did go that exact way.
they were horrible as DYFS, and they’re worse now.
This agency does MUCH more harm than good… they made my life a living Hell, and I didn’t do anything but try to teach my kids how to behave and keep them safe, but because I am a disabled Vet I was tortured by this sgency… and I wasn’t the one caught doing drugs, I tried to protect my kids but in their opinion that made me fodder for harrassment, this agency needs to be scrapped and redone… and not by the corrupt political situation we have in this State!!!
Kathii Maria Schattner
Unfortunately we have good and bad in every situation. Some people love their jobs and will do everything to resolve the problem and keep families together if possible. Others judge first, take the kids and drag it out as long as possible with total disregard for the child.