How many chances does Social Services give negligent parents?

Question

My brother in law fathered two kids who are now 2 and infant age with a girl with a mental disorder. The courts removed the children 1/2 a year ago due to neglect and drug use by the parents. The kids were returned on the condition that they never be left alone with the mother due to her mental instability. He leaves them all the time with her and FINALLY social services has stepped in and removed the children again.

Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? Does Social Services just wait a period of time and then give the natural parents another chance? It's not like they can "test" his lying, like they can test his drug use. He lied to Social Services whenever they visited telling them that he never leaves the kids with the mom. Now they know the truth, but how many times do they give him a chance?

I know each situation is different, but wondering others' experiences.

Answer 1

I work for Social Services (I am not a Social worker).  Parents will get second chances.  Social Workers don't really make the call whether the child goes back.  Its the courts.  Now if someone like you knows what is happening in the home and doesn't say anything, how are they to know?  Protecting children is also the outsides families responsibility.  Alot of the times, they don't want to get involved because someone might get mad at them.  If you know that the child has been left with the mother, call SS and tell them at this moment the kids are with the mom.  They need that info.  SS have alot of families on there caseload.  I find it frustrating when people get mad at SS for not doing what they think needs to be done.  Alot of the times kids don't get removed because there is never enough foster homes or group homes.  There is no where to put them.  Its tough for them to.

Answer 2

for the most part ss is a crock! They make life unpleasant for people that really don't need to have anything to do with them, and then when there is a child/ren that need some real help they don't do much! I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they got their kids back!!

in the city that I live in there is a mom who had a 3 or 4 year old and a 3 or 4 month old (I can't remember which is which) children's aid(that's what its called where i live) visited the mother over 60 times because of neglect and cruelty, drugs and drinking. and her baby died two weekends ago! MHhhhmmmmm........ what a coincidence

Answer 3

I think you should get a second chance, because some people do genuinely change. But with that being said, there should be MAJOR probation and heavy supervision by SS until they know for a fact that the parents have changed. If they s***w up again, to bad, they knew what was happening and had it coming.

However SS doesn't seem to share my opinions, they give far to many chances to the wrong people.

Answer 4

Social services will leave cases that they should intervene in pester people when they shouldn't. I don't know what is in their minds.