You may have heard the horror stories of children ripped from loving parents by the Texas Child Protective Service (CPS) because of miscommunication, spurious allegations or an unforeseen accident.
You never expected it could happen to you, your child or your family — but it has. Now, what should you do?
Don’t go unrepresented to a CPS hearing
You feel like the bottom dropped out of your world, and indeed, it has. The authorities removed your children from the home. You don’t know what to do next.
But an attorney does, particularly one who is familiar with the egregious overreach of the Texas CPS system. The system is rife with abuse toward these vulnerable children, resulting in an alarming rate of suicide among those kids in the care of CPS and foster homes.
Your parental rights are in jeopardy
This is not a time to make a misstep out of ignorance of the law. You need to devote all your efforts to the return of your child. It’s time for a ruthless self-assessment of your parenting skills and lifestyle choices.
If that social worker opens your refrigerator door, will they see a well-stocked array of healthy food choices or beer and junk food? Be proactive now and make sure your parental qualifications are above reproach. Clean your house, get rid of safety hazards and anything that could cause you to appear as a less-than-stellar parent.
Most importantly, however, you need to make a direct line to your attorney’s office so that you can get help understanding your rights and position.
Work closely with your attorney
You and your attorney can strategize for the best way to refute the allegations against you. They may want a list of respectable members of the community who might be willing to testify on your behalf. You might need to volunteer to be drug-screened. Together, the two of you can work towards the reunification of your family.
