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How can CPS seize children who have not been abused or neglected by their own parents? Under the very popular statutory standard that the child is at risk of future abuse, based on the subjective ‘precognition’ of the caseworker and her interpretation of the parent’s known or merely alleged conduct in the past.
A very large percentage of children are removed from family homes under this standard alone, essentially constituting draconian ‘preventive’ intervention for hypothetical acts which have not yet occurred and which may never occur.
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WE BELIEVE
Family association is a fundamental human right
which is protected by the strictest constitutional scrutiny when that right must be abridged to protect the life of the child.
The family is an institution which predates any government, and as such, has inherent rights which supersede any state interests.
The rights of the child cannot be artificially separated from the rights of the parents without credible evidence of abuse or neglect as defined in the statutes. Risk of future harm is an inappropriate and unconstitutional standard to apply to child protection interventions. It is an immoral device designed to deprive parents and children of the right of Family Association in order to further a social and economic agenda designed to increase the size and the scope of the child protection bureacracy.
The child has an inalienable right to the care, custody, protection, love and nurturing of his parents.The parents have the inalienable right to the care, custody and control of their children, and the absolute right to excercise non-abusive parental prerogatives without the interference of the state. These rights are not mutually exclusive, but are inextricably intertwined.
The child does not enter this world as a stand-alone entity which can be plugged into whatever slot the state decides is appropriate. The child and parents share deep and enduring bonds which should not be tampered with casually. The child’s first best interest is to be with his biological parents.
Child abuse is a crime and it should be treated as a crime and investigated by law enforcement professionals, not case workers.
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The GREAT CHILD PROTECTION EXPERIMENT HAS FAILED.
In 1974, 4 to 5 children a day were dying of children abuse, so the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act was passed. In 1997, 4 to 5 childern a day were dying of child abuse, only now, half of them died in foster care. Child protection has destroyed more families than it has helped, it has harmed more children than it has saved. Over 40% of institutionalized persons are former foster children. Over 80% of children in foster require therapeutic services only AFTER they were removed from their parents.Over 85% of children removed from their families exhibit no harm or injury at the time of removal. Funding for family reunification has been cut to almost nothing and the creation and support of artifical families is now licensed and funded to the virtual exlusion of family preservation services.
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The agency that provides rehabilitative services to the family cannot be the agency that investigates the allegations - it is a conflict of interest.
The state makes a poor and indifferent parent. The government is not equipped to provide each unique child with the individual care and nurturing he needs to thrive and grow. Parents bear children, not governments, and for good reason. Unlike the state, we recognize that nobody is a perfect parent, but we assert that the existing family bonds of love, mutual concern and trust can overcome most parental imperfections. To require parents to meet the state’s standard of parenting perfection is hypocritically absurd, especially in view of the state’s abysmal record of child abuse and neglect in foster care.
Nobody is safe from a false allegation of child abuse/neglect. This is an issue which encompasses the entire spectrum of American society, regardless of race, religion, political persuasion, or socio-economic status. More than 3,000 children a day are removed from their homes, most of them from non-abusive parents.
Our efforts are focused on protecting the family from unwarranted government intrusions and keeping the family intact and safe.
WE PROMISE
Not to employ deceit, lies, cheating or any other unethical practice in our endeavors to expose the abuses by the child abuse industry and our advocacy to protect the sanctity of American family.
Not to compromise our beliefs and mission.
To respect your right to parent as you see fit, absent bona fide evidence of statutorily defined abuse/neglect.
Unlike some parents rights groups, we do not charge fees or exploit the vulnerable family members who come to us seeking help.
Unlike some parents rights groups, we do not make false claims about our services or effectiveness.
Unlike some parents rights activists, we do not exclude anyone from our services based on religion, politics, race or economic status.
Unlike some parents rights activists, we will work with you and not force our agenda upon you. We subscribe to the principles defined for Parentsmarch™.
Unlike some parents rights groups, we will not recommend lawyers and experts whose incompetent, indifferent or malicious professional services have proven to make bad situations worse.
More in-depth information on issues affecting Families can be found on our Publications page.
Why was American Family Advocacy Center founded?
OUR MISSION
Redefine the issues relating to child protection. We have been instrumental in redefining the issues surrounding child protection from parents rights vs. children’s rights to establishing the the fundamental human right to family association without state oversight or interference. We continue to redefine the issue as a family rights issue. Our position is, if you are pro-child, you are anti-family.
Train and oversee Family Advocates for families involved with Child Protection Services agencies and train advocacy groups nationwide. We are the originators of the concept of proactive family advocates and have initiated educational programs for organizations and individuals nationwide to fill the need for advocates for parents and children who have been victimized by Child Protective Services agencies. We train advocacy groups around the country and provide assistance to family advocates who find their practice thwarted by state agencies. We also exercise authoritative oversight over the entire practice of family advocacy. .
Devise and implement strategies to insure CPS agencies obey the law and policies during interventions. We have originated many of the tactics now being employed by families which have proven effective in insuring that CPS agencies are held accountable for their actions under existing laws. We continue to instruct on and publish effective strategical information to assist families throughout the state’s intervention. Our goal is to shut down the illegal intervention as early in the process as possible, before the family is at risk of termination of parental rights. We also advocate that if services are necessary, they be reasonable, relevant and fair to all concerned and do not violate any of the rights of any family members.
Expose the inconsistancies of child protection, to insure that truly abused children are being properly protected and that non-abused children are not traumatized by over-zealous, dangerous and unnecessary ‘protective’ intervention. We have seen that many times, truly abused children are returned to their abusers while non-abused children are routinely removed from their homes without having met the statutory definition of abuse or neglect. Studies have concluded that children are 10 to 28 times more likely to be abused in foster care as in their own homes. In 1997, 50% of the children who died of child abuse, died in foster care. CPS agencies are not held accountable for these abuses because they are the only agency charged to investigate them, and can cover the incidents up.The agency that commits the abuse cannot be the agency that investigates the abuse. Additionally, there is no mechanism by which children can safely and effectively report abuse that occurs to them while they are in state custody. Regardless of CASA and GALs, the children truly have no voice in our current child protection system.
Provide public and professional education and awareness into the realities of the child protection industry and its effects on all members of the family and on society. This includes training for respondent parent attorneys, as well as presentations and speaking engagements addressing all aspects of this issue for churches, legislative bodies, administrative agencies and professional associations. We assist groups or individuals seeking knowledge and advice on this issue, relevent to their area of interest or professional practice. We are currently engaged in producing a series of television programs which will air nationwide at a date to be announced.
“Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government’s purposes are beneficent.” Louis D. Brandeis
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