Walsh County social workers take self-defense
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/08/22/news/state/138093.txt
Aug 22, 2007 - 04:03:39 CDT
GRAFTON (AP) - Social worker Diane Gerrard wound up with a swollen lip
and broken glasses when she went to a home to take a child into
protective custody.
The physical assault in May is the first such incident Walsh County
officials have seen, said the county's safety coordinator, Sharon Lipsh.
"It was nothing major, but mentally, the reality of it was what really
bothered me. That it can happen," said Gerrard, who has been on the job
for eight years.
Charges are pending against the person accused of striking her. And
Gerrard and 11 other workers from the Walsh County Social Services
Department have been taking self-defense classes.
"(Child protective services) has got the potential to get dangerous,"
said Kate Kenna, the director for Northeast Human Services Center in
Grand Forks. "There's nothing we're closer to than our kids. What we're
doing, when you make a decision about other people, is we're treading on
them. You know why you get that reaction."
If social workers are worried about their safety, law enforcement
officers accompany them when a child is removed from a home, or another
social worker goes along during a visit, Kenna said. Social workers also
can enlist the help from other members of the child's family, she said.
"Our system is small enough so that we know families," Kenna said.
Walsh County employs six full-time social workers, said Linda Kadlec,
the county's director of social services. Gerrard's daily work focuses
on child protection services, which means she makes home visits and, at
times, has to remove children from homes.
"You know people are angry, but you can usually talk them down and get
out of the situation," Gerrard said. "That was not the case that day."
More serious than the physical threat of violence are threats directed
toward social workers' families, Kenna said.
"I've gotten that message, 'Kate, your kids have just gotten a
threatening phone call at your house,' " she said. "And you wonder, is
it worth it to put your own kids, your own family in danger?"
Family visits are becoming more unpredictable, Kenna said.
"With meth (methamphetamine) we have to take extra precautions to make
sure we are not going into an unsafe situation," she said.
A court order to remove children from a home must be dispensed through
local law enforcement agencies. In the May case, a law enforcement
officer was not present at the time of the attack, Gerrard said.
"I didn't expect to be hit," Gerrard said. "I didn't even react. I just
stood there."
"I am hoping (a self-defense class) will show what to do in a situation
like that," Gerrard said.
"I could hardly get out of bed the next morning (after the attack)," she
said. "It was mentally exhausting."
After taking the self-defense class, she gained back some of the confidence.
"You remember not to let your guard down," Gerrard said. "And you
remember things you've learned about in the past ... the little things
you forget about, like staying by the doors."
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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