You're Mad, but Who Are You Really Going to Hurt?
There are many people, and I use that word, 'many', loosely, as I don't know, nor does anyone else, really, what number it would be, who think it's a good tactic to call CPS on someone who has really ticked them off. It does hurt them, as they are investigated by the government, people
who find out ostracize them, they can lose their daycare license or teacher's certificate, if they have one, problems can start in their marriage, and so on. But if the caseworker who visits is having a bad day, or is new and doesn't know as much as another, more experienced caseworker might know about how child protection works, the children get taken away, and put in foster care. Those same people who wouldn't think twice about calling in to make a false allegation think, 'so what?' and make the call.
The problem is that there might not be anything going on that is abusive or neglectful in that family. Then let's say that the kids do get taken away. The parents, yes, they are stunned, hurt, ashamed, and so forth. Their children are gone. But how do the children feel? They have lost everything they hold dear to them, their parents, their toys, their clothes, the little hiding spot in the front room that was all their own, their pets, their friends, and the list goes on and on. The parents get left behind, with all the reminders of their children, the scribble on the wall, the messy bed, the toys in the bedroom, the backyard, the front porch, the shampoo visor in the bathroom, and the school pictures coming in the mail. They hurt, yes, but not as much as their children do. They are adults, and they understand more than what the children will. To be honest, they, most likely, can have more children. Their children cannot get new parents, unless they are adopted. They cannot have a new, clean-slate childhood.
Another part of this equation that rarely enters in to the thoughts of those who make grudge calls to CPS is the children who need that caseworker's time to ensure they are not further abused or neglected. There are bad parents out there who don't care about their children, or downright
resent them and make it well-known to the children in their care. These are the children that need their caseworker to be able to focus on them and their needs, not sidetracked by some disgruntled neighbor who has decided to use the government, especially CPS, as their own personal equalizer. It's impossible for anyone, government worker or not, to be in two places at the same time. If someone calls a CPS caseworker out to investigate something that doesn't exist, that person who called CPS maliciously might as well side with parents who truly are abusive and willfully neglectful.
I'm sure this article will make some people angry, but I hope it will open some people's eyes. There are only so many resources to go around, and it is impossible for a person to be in two places at the same time. Since this is true, it's hard to argue that people who can make that grudge call can say that they honestly care about children who really are abused or neglected. My goal here is to reduce the chances that someone will make a grudge call just because they are mad at the parents. There are other places and other things that a person can do.
Other things that someone who is mad at someone else can do would be to talk about it, if possible, go through mediation, get a protective order, avoid the person you're angry with (and this includes talking about them to other people), and even moving to another area. And if you must call and report them, much like a child tattling on another child, call the IRS for tax evasion (at least you keep any children out of it), call the board of health on them for mice on their property or farm animals they are keeping (and so on - get creative), call city code for housing violations, and so forth. But keep the children out of adult arguments. There's no reason for a child to be hurt because their parent is unable to get along with his or her neighbors. And remember, it is illegal to make a grudge call to CPS, and those who do and are caught doing so can actually end up facing jail time, plus monetary damages, depending on their location.
Written by LorriAnne http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/434234/grudge_calls_to_cps_child_protective.html?cat=38
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