The Mackenzie* family suspected there was criminal activity going on at their neighbor’s house. When the Mackenzies saw those neighbors climbing the Mackenzies’ fence to video the Mackenzies’ children, they felt they had to call the police. After the police visited the neighbors and gave them a warning, the neighbors retaliated by falsely reporting the […]
Category: news
New Law in Kentucky Affirms Exemptions from Mandatory Vaccinations
On Sunday, March 28, a new bill became law in Kentucky, despite no signature from Governor Beshear, that creates much broader exemptions from mandatory vaccinations. Senate Bill 8 states, in part, that vaccines mandated in the event of an epidemic shall not include: “The immunization of any child whose parents or guardians are opposed to […]
Do No Harm Podcast
This new podcast from NBC, Do No Harm, demonstrates the dangers of going up against child protective services without an attorney advocating on your behalf. The Brights’ lives were turned upside down and their children removed after a doctor misdiagnosed an injury as evidence of child abuse. They were treated as guilty until proven innocent. […]
ALERT: Tennessee Child “Wellbeing Checks”
UPDATE: Thankfully, due to public outcry, the governor has asked the Department of Education to remove this document and to “go back to the drawing board.” You can read the letter from the Department of Education here. Even though this concerning document has been walked back, we are remaining vigilant about future developments and will […]
Member Story: Hospital Calls CPS After Parents Advocate for Daughter
Samantha Cooper* suffered from an extremely difficult condition for which medication had proven to be incapable of preventing flare-ups. As a result, this meant that Samantha and her parents, Richard and Lisa, had become regulars at the local children’s hospital. Samantha’s day-to-day healthcare was guided by protocols established and refined over time by her specialists. […]
CPS Workers Arrested for Removing Children without Court Approval
After two years of investigation and legal action from parents, three CPS workers in North Carolina were arrested and indicted with forty-one felony and misdemeanor charges for removing children without proper judicial oversight. This unlawful practice is alleged to have gone on for over a decade. Those arrested were the former director of the Cherokee […]
California Bill Would Stop Parents from Knowing Their Child Had an Abortion
California has prioritized the passing of a bill that will enable minor children to receive abortions or transgender hormone treatments without their parents’ consent or knowledge. The bill would allow for information about “sensitive services” to remain confidential and hidden from third parties not authorized to receive that information. “Sensitive services” would include “services related […]
What Does a CPS Home Visit Look Like?
In most investigations by child protective services (CPS), the investigator is required by protocol to conduct a “home visit.” This is especially the case when the allegations involve younger children or the condition of the home. During the home visit, the investigator will typically conduct a walk-through of the entire house and take pictures along […]
Harvard Law Professor Calls for a “Presumptive Ban” on Homeschooling
Harvard Magazine recently published an article in which Harvard Law School Professor Elizabeth Bartholet calls for a “presumptive ban” on homeschooling. In the article, Bartholet states that homeschooling not only violates children’s right to a “meaningful education” and their right to be protected from potential child abuse, but may keep them from contributing positively to […]
Member Story: Daughter’s Sunday School Teacher Sparks Months-Long CPS Investigation
Late one evening, five-year-old Madison* was out of her bed, speaking and singing so loudly that she was on the verge of waking up her three siblings. Her father, Michael, asked her to quiet down, but she just got louder. “Honey… shh… shh…,” Michael finally whispered as he gently put his fingers on his rambunctious daughter’s […]