Caseworker: We know your husband is guilty, you've got
to force him into admitting it.
Mother: How do you know he's guilty?
Caseworker: We know he's guilty because he says he's
innocent. Guilty people always say they're innocent.
Mother: What do innocent people say?
Caseworker: We're not in the business of guilty or
innocent. We're in the business of putting families
together.
Mother: So why not do that with us?
Caseworker: Because he won't admit his guilt.
(Source:) Wounded Innocents: The Real Victims of the War on Child Abuse (Paperback) by Richard Wexler
May 2004
One Heartbroken Grandma
My recent investigation into the state’s foster care system turned this One Tough Grandma into One Heartbroken Grandma.
I am calling for a massive overhaul of the foster care system in a special report, Forgotten Children, which details a widespread crisis in the Texas foster care system.
They are everybody’s children and nobody’s children. They are the forgotten children. Some of them find homes with caring foster parents, or in treatment centers with experienced and caring providers, and some do not.
Some have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused while in the system; some have run away and joined the ranks of the missing. A few have even died at the hands of those entrusted with their care.
I am appalled at the conditions too many of our foster children must endure.
I challenge any defender of the status quo to put their child or grandchild in some of the places I’ve seen for one day, much less for a lifetime.
We must raise the bar on quality, make the foster care system more accountable, ensure the health and safety of all foster care children, and provide a brighter future for foster children.
Fortunately, I did find facilities that treat children well.
In each and every instance where children were getting the best care, the caregivers are working closely and openly with the community. Each facility needs that close relationship and support from the communities they serve. Otherwise, the children suffer.
Any society can be judged by how it treats its weakest members. My investigation shows that Texas can and must be judged harshly.
I will monitor changes made–or not made–as a result of this special report, and for the sake of our forgotten children, I will report back to the people of Texas in six weeks and six months and as long as it takes to fix this broken system and save all of our children.
Carole Keeton Strayhorn
Texas Comptroller
Mother meant the whole world to me and there wasn’t anything I could do to get her back. It was like I had lost everything. Lucie, Age 19
I felt so bad for my mom and I constantly felt like it was my fault because I couldn’t do anything to stop it.
PoemGirl, Age 17
I felt so disappointed and heartbroken. I hated my life.
Brittany, Age 13
How does it feel to be a Foster Child? It’s like being in a great world of your own. MARK, Age 12
I felt very sad and I knew I could not do anything about it. I had to get over it. I know how it feels to be pushed around. I have been there.Einstein, Age 11
The placements did not work because in my heart I felt alone but in my mind I felt grown….The only problem in the home was me. There I was almost thirteen and hated the world. I could not trust anyone. I didn’t want to trust anyone. How could I trust someone? I had to
protect myself from hurt. The only way I could do that was to guard my heart….I messed up four homes because of this. Flower Girl, Age 18
I think that when you become an adult it’s just like a toddler you’re a caterpillar, and when you’re a kid you’re a cocoon and finally you become an adult which would be a butterfly. Jesse, Age 9
We should all make our foster care family a possibility.
MeMe, Age 17
The best advice I have from one foster child to another is that you never give up….Never think that you are worthless. Jane, Age 10
by Crystal, age 13
Have you ever said mom, dad I love you?
Have you ever hugged them goodbye?
Well have you ever sat in a room and cried?
Well I can’t everyday say I love you mom, or
dad I can’t say goodbye!
Sometimes when I visit my dad and I have to be supervised!
How would you feel to live in a different home every couple of months?
You can’t stay in one place...
You always feel like you are replaced!
People saying they don’t want you there...
People lying so they won’t hurt your feelings!
People watching your every footstep while you sit there crying.
They can’t hold you like your parents.
I have to say I’m strong when I move there.
So I can GO ON
How would you feel to lift your head and see someone everyday that is not your mom and dad?
Would you cry, would you worry?
Or would you fly or would you scurry?
Sometimes you have to let go.
Sometimes you have to turn away.
Sometimes you let the tears drop,
And let them flow anyway.
There is more hurt to this than you will ever feel!
To see your mother die on mother’s day...
I have to GO ON is all you can say
It's Almost Tuesday is a fictional story based on true events of abuse within the Texas Foster Care System. The story is written as if told by an 8 year old foster child using his exact words whenever possible.
CPS – A System Out of Control
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform
Frisco Paul
Just Say Yes
LOCATER – The Lost Child Alert Technology Resource
Blogging To End Domestic Violence
Grits for Breakfast
The Project on Government Oversight
Cybertipline
Wireless Amber Alerts
A Fathers' Plea In Pinellas County![Best of The Web Award – Top 100 Blogs](http://thedailyreviewer.com/img/top100-125x125.png" "Its Almost Tuesday was voted Best of the Web by The Daily Review in the top 100 blog for domestic violence awareness!")
Best of The Web Award – Top 100 Blogs
Hi my name is Taira and I really need your help getting my story out there it’s about Collin county cps and my 4 daughters 4072023353 god bless
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let me proudly say those are my kids, and my wife. people ask me some time why did you not speak. I well say , why they said it all. all i can say is what happen. they can tell you who it hurt and what it did. no social worker can justifies this, if they did or even tried they system would shut them down. but the social workers and the system and old Gov Rick Perry ignored this !
can every one who see’s this send it to your Representative and ask a simple why? was this done? and did they not un- sue in the end. so why did you have to hurt the kids? the twins are now in the possession of Merry Sloan, who earns 1800.00 month from the state to live in a one bed room house in sherman Texas, and feed the twin and their half sister TeeVee Dinners.. the kids are not allowed to see ANY ONE IN There family other then Merry and Merry’s Twin Sister Cherry., as long as Cherry behaves, and don’t talk about if they are ok, or ask them if Mommy hurts them, or if they talk to Aunt Cherry they have to stay home along and write , over and over how they well not tell lies to aunt cherry!- thank you CPS , who refused to investigate this issue! who tore the twins from there home after living four years with our Family.
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