My name is Nancy Schaefer, from
the State of Georgia, United States.
And thanks to all of you who
have made the incredible World Congress of Families V, in Amsterdam,
possible! It is an honor for me to join together with you for sound
pro-family policy.
I served in the Georgia State
Senate and after 4 years of viewing the ruthless and unsparing actions of
Child Protective Services (CPS), I wrote a scathing report entitled
“The
Corrupt Business of Child Protective Services”. The report cost me my
Senate seat!
Now since my time is limited,
let me present several points that demand realistic solutions to strengthen
families and children and then suggest some steps to be taken.
Now this is not
to say there are
not those children in wretched situations who need to be removed. There
are- we all agree, but tonight I am talking about children removed from
their homes intentionally for profit.
Children are seized
unnecessarily from their families due to federal aid created in 1974
entitled The Adoption and Safe Families Act. It offers financial incentives
to the states that increase adoption numbers.
To receive the “adoption
incentives” or “bonuses”, local CPS must have more children. They must have
merchandise that sells.
Funding is available when a
child is placed in a foster home with strangers or placed in a mental health
facility and medicated.
(Usually against parents’
wishes) I had a mother in my district who had 2 children in state custody
who were on 16 pills a day.
Parents are victimized by the
“system” that makes a profit for holding children longer and bonuses for not returning children to their parents.
This is abuse of power! It is
lack of accountability and it is a growing criminal/political phenomenon
spreading around the globe.
Oftentimes, but not always, poor
parents are targeted to loose their children because they do not have the
where-with-all to hire an attorney and fight the system. Being poor or
lacking proper housing does not mean your children can be removed.
CPS has redefined “poor” to mean
“psychologically inferior” – therefore it is in the “best interest” of the
child to be removed.
“Best interest” of
course, has been redefined at the child’s expense.
It has been reported over and
over that 6 times as many children die in Foster Care than in the general
public. Once a child is “legally kidnapped” and placed in official “safety”
– the child is far more likely to suffer abuse, including sexual molestation
and or rape.
Caseworkers and social workers
are often guilty of fraud. They withhold and destroy evidence – and they
seek wrongly to terminate parental rights, all the while, they are
being protected by state immunity.
There is a huge bureaucracy made
up of judges, court appointed attorneys, guardian ad litems, social workers,
state employees, court investigators, psychiatrists,
psychologists, therapists, foster parents, adoptive parents and on and on,
who are looking to the children in “state care” for their job security.
Judges have control over private
arrangements and income of 48.3 million Americans. The U.S. Census Bureau
reported in 2002, that $40 billion in transfer payments were made between
households of custody parents and “other” parents. That money, $40 billion,
is under the direction and control of family court judges in environments
covered with “confidentiality laws” – that protect the wrong people.
Fathers are victims of this
unjust system. Child support payments –even without having visits with
their children, are choking the life out of many fathers. Three fathers, of
whom I am aware, committed suicide when they lost the opportunity of ever
seeing their children again.
These are crimes against
humanity for financial gain. Rights are removed from parents – human
rights, civil rights and religious rights.
Two illustrations:
Rabun County – so many
calls from one county in my district, I held a meeting in the County
library. There were 37 families inside and 50 families outside the door.
Anguish and profound suffering.
Grandmother, daughter and
2 granddaughters. Granddaughters removed from their mother illegally and
carried to a foster home in another county where a pedophile caseworker
lived in the foster home.
These parents – trapped in the
system become like refugees – they are dazed and glazed and have no one of
whom to turn. They do not know what to do. The loss of their children is
devastating!
After having worked in this
arena for several years, I do not believe a single child comes out whole
after being in the system. Many foster children make up the homeless
population today.
I introduced legislation, SB
415, in my last session at the Georgia Capitol. A substitute bill was
written at the last minute by the chairman of the Judicial Committee. All
the strong points of by bill had been compromised. I was told: “Accept it,
Senator, at least you will get legislation passed.” I answered with,
“Obviously you do not know me.
I did not come to the Capitol
just to get legislation passed. I came to make a difference!”
What can be done?
1. An independent audit should
be called in every state of all CPS departments. I am in touch with
Congressmen and state officials and the door is very slowly opening.
2. A Federal Congressional
hearing is needed. But let me add, due to the hundreds
upon hundred of cases I have been called to consider, I have
placed calls to state senators and representatives in other states to
help families in their respective states. I have been told, “If I help
that family, or if I help you, I will lose my job”!
3. Remove – abolish the
Federal and State financial incentives, (your taxpayers dollars) that
have turned CPS into a business that takes children and separates
families for money!
4. Open family court – remove
the confidentiality laws. Give parents their rights verbally and in
writing! I even feel that to terminate the rights of parents – many
cases should be heard before a jury!
Family rights and parents’
rights must be protected. We do not need more influence like the UN’s
“Convention on the Rights of the Child.” It is anti-parent, anti-child and
anti-common sense for the universal family.
We must press forward on this
issue for the sake of children and families. There must be perseverance for
any great reform.
As Charles Spurgeon put it –
“How do you tame a lion that is well fed? First, he must be brought down.
Second, his stomach must be lowered.
How do you tame CPS? It may be
by closing it completely and starting over with pro-family values.
In closing let me remind you
that there is case law from State Appellate and Federal District Courts and
up to the U.S. Supreme Court all of which affirm the constitutional right of
parents to actually be parents to their children.
There is biblical law too – and
it goes like this:
“Speak up for those who cannot
speak for themselves, and for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up
and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and the needy.” (Proverbs 31: 8-9)
Thank you.
