Why does social services have the right to decide what records foster kids can see?

Question

Why won't they let them have the whole records? There lives are in those records?

Answer 1

loooney tunes i love twity the most ,she is so sweet .

Answer 2

ss has a whole lot of experience. and they've been in that business for quite some time. so they probably have a very good reason to do so.

Answer 3

Good question.  I've also been denied my foster care records, even though I was only in care for a couple of months.

Government has no place keeping grown adults from the facts of their own lives.  And the answerer 'Katie' is clueless and misinformed! ppfftt

Answer 4

probably because sometimes the parent doesn't want their child to find them and they have the right to keep their privacy.

Answer 5

Strangely, although the records have the kids' lives, they also have the lives of the birth family, the foster families, and the adoptive families that were involved. So, they need to be able to give you **your** information while not giving away anyone else's information without their permission.

Privacy of records laws are complicated and vary from state to state, but generally if social services were to give away too much information, the other people involved could sue. So, they act carefully.

Answer 6

Well it is not just you on the record.   so are your foster parents and their info (at least that is their reasoning)  I don't get it though you lived there you know their info.   I guess another reason is to protect you if you were young you may not know the exact reason you were taken and finally if you stayed in care there is a reason ie mom or dad did not do what they were supposed to do and family could not or did not want to take you and that could hurt you.  I do think you have the right to see your record though. YOu have the right to see your medical record you can even make addendums  (not change the chart but put something in or your view of what happended)  

I feel like your foster care record is just as important if not more than your medical record

Answer 7

Well, often parents give their kids up for adoption, and don't want to hear from them after that.  

Answer 8

I'm not sure, but it's wrong. After all, the kids are the ones that have to go through the process of being moved around and they have to face all those difficulties. They should have the right to know about their past, and about their real families. Their past shouldn't be kept a secret from them.

Answer 9

I would imagine that once they hit 18 they could. Not really sure.

As far as not seeing it before. It probably because they are minors and there are some things that maybe they shouldn't know.

Answer 10

When we adopted, we had 2 hours to write down everything we would ever need to know from our 5 childrens records.  It's really sad.

Answer 11

I haven't a clue why they wouldn't just disclose it all.

Its wrong and I wish more Ap's/foster parents would speak up against it.  

Answer 12

Dear Looney Tunes,

I absolutely hate it and wish it weren't the case. The only thing that makes it passible is that it is far more information than is released through international adoption, typically. The entire industry needs to change on this issue, but unfortunately they and many others still believe in the parents rights over your rights. I don't know about your case, but when we adopted, TPR was not finalized (and still is not). So, while we weren't supposed to have access to much of the info on his parents and extended family, we have ended up with nearly everyone's names and locations. The only person we are missing is the father, whom mom refuses to name. I know you aged out (I think). What did they give you for a BC? What did they give you for medical records? Our child's will be changed due to state laws, but we wrote down all of the info from the court hearings, so that we would be able to give him as much info as possible. I wonder if you could not get access to the court hearings for your case? I am sure they would mention your situation and family names. I don't know how family court works as far as releasing info, but again, it is completely your right to know your background, medical info, and parents' names.

Answer 13

Dear Looney Tunes,

I agree with TB, it shouldn't be true (partial, incomplete records - if any) but it is.  At least where I live.

I know whereof I speak.  I have been a caseworker in several branches of DCFS (division of child and family services) in the state where I live.  I have seen information mishandled, altered, destroyed, manipulated and worse.  I have known people who should -- by all accounts -- be entitled to the information they are requesting have their requests denied with barely a nod and a pathetic excuse.

Here's why I think it happens.  Caseworkers make mistakes.  Some, hopefully not most, even do bad things INTENTIONALLY.  I know, it sounds like I'm *ratting out* my own professional community.  I guess it's kind of true.  For the record, I don't work in any state agency whatsoever anymore.  I still wouldn't want my former bosses and co-workers to know I'm (*GASP*) telling the truth, for fear of being "black-balled" in the future.  Sorry...this isn't about me...

When it comes right down to it, people don't want to let it be known that they've screwed up.  Unfortunately, some populations are more vulnerable to being exploited or ignored by these 'pretenders'.  Adoptees (I'm one), Foster children (former and present), Disabled people (I'm one of these, too) and many more.

Also, I've read case notes (and "unofficial" diagnoses to boot) in which caseworkers say some absolutely unnecessary nasty things about kids they work with (or have worked with).  This is completely wrong and it should be a 'termination' offense.  Caseworkers should not document their frustration-based opinions, or mis-directed anger about some completely unrelated issue, or whatever, in any social service record.  It often is not about the child (or the parent[s]) at all.  But it happens and the worker (or the worker's boss, or the agency) doesn't want to let the 'client' know what's been written.

As a social worker, I could give you a whole laundry list of reasons why a social worker's job is [fill in the blank]: hard, thankless, heartbreaking, impossible, etc., but WRONG is WRONG.  We chose the profession and we should do it ethically, honestly, and always remembering *who* we are working for (the children)...or not do it at all.

I'm sorry that this doesn't really help -- except maybe to help answer the 'why' part of the question.  And, I should say that not *all* caseworkers do this...and not *all* agencies allow this...and this may not be the only reason.  Sometimes an agency (or a state) will keep all records sealed (or "edited", "censored" or "treated") in order to hide a few really bad mistakes and a WHOLE LOT of low- and mid-level mistakes.  *SIGH*

I use a punching bag (a real one, that's not a euphamism for something else).  Then I cry.  Then I take a hot bath.  Then I get up and live another day and do my best and try to take an active role in getting things changed for the better.

Take care!