Year: 1997
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The Department of Family and Children's Services offers families four programs aimed at assisting them in crisis.These include Court Services, Out of Home Care, Emergency Response, and Family Preservation.The Court Service Program works intensely with the Juvenile Court, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, social workers, and private attorneys to provide court protection for children who are in danger of abuse and neglect.The Out of Home Care Program provide services to families and children when it is not possible for the child to remain safely in the home.This program also provides services for children who are in long term foster care placements or to children who are in need of adoptive placements.Emergency Response Services are offered to the families and children of Santa Clara County.Workers in this program respond to calls of child abuse or neglect.The social worker may make referrals for more intense interventions or services, if necessary.Family Preservation Programs are designed to keep families together by providing services in an effort to strengthen the family's ability to provide a safe and healthy home for their children.These services may be based on a voluntary agreement, or the Juvenile Courts may order children removed from the home for a period of time.There are five separate programs within the Family Preservation Program.They include Family Maintenance/Informal Supervision, Voluntary Family Maintenance, Court Maintenance, Permanent Placement, and Family Reunification.This study will focus on Family Reunification services offered in an effort to preserve and reunify Judy with her family.' and move back home.She did, not because she wanted to, but because her family convinced her that if she stayed with him, she or her child would be hurt.Judy's next relationship was also abusive.She became involved with James.He was separated from his wife, and he and Judy moved in together.Judy thought this relationship would be different.She knew that James abused alcohol, but she thought he could control his alcohol, and his temper.He never hit her, so she felt safe.Judy and James had two daughters together, and on the surface, all appeared to be going well.Judy began working during the day.James kept the children while she worked.James worked during the nights and Judy was home with the girls.Alice, Judy's oldest daughter, was nine years old when Judy discovered that James had been molesting her.He also had been molesting his two natural daughters, aged three and one, and a daughter from a previous marriage.Judy found out that James had been molesting Alice for more than 18 months, in their home, while she was at work.She was devastated.James was convicted of child molestation and sent to state prison.Judy plunged deeper into drugs in an effort to deal with her feelings of hurt and betrayal.She lost her job, and her apartment.For the next three years, she used marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and PCP.She and her three daughters moved back into the family home, with her father.Her brother, Alvin, became her closest friend, and her drug supplier
Author: Pauline J. Carnegie
Institution: San Jose State University
Language: English
Topic: Child Welfare and Adoption
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4297893201