DCFS
The system is broken. My DCFS worker visited today because she got another report. She said “Grace I got another report. It’s Saturday but I had to come out because you told the same stuff about your mom that you always tell. Do you keep telling because you want me to visit you? I like you but you don’t have to keep telling the same things your mom does so that I’ll visit.”
WHAT.
I really thought I misheard her. I did not. And to be clear, I had pictures and bruises and texts to backup what I told the doctors yesterday. My mom is bad and getting worse because she KNOWS no one will do anything to her. I immediately dialed CB’s number and she ripped into the social worker as kindly as any angry lawyer could. The social worker tried to spin it as if she just meant she gets a lot of reports. CB knew better. So in true CB fashion, she said (on speaker) definitely directed toward the social worker:
“Well, Grace, ms. ______ gets paid to come out even if it’s on a Saturday and ms. ______ is required by law to make a visit when she gets a report whether she likes it or not and whether it is the first report or the hundredth report because MAYBE if ms._______ does her job, she will eventually get information that can substantiate a removal and a protective order. Right, ms. _____? I sincerely hope you wouldn’t be discouraging Grace from reporting any information whatsoever no matter how many reports have been made and no matter how many times it might require you to come out on a Saturday. Are you aware of exactly how long it has taken Grace to trust people and to come forward with information? I would hope you wouldn’t risk the chance of destroying progress that all of us have worked hard for. And I also want to add that if you spent more than the mandatory 5 minutes with Grace you would notice the deficits. Major deficits. Yes she has a drivers license and yes she can read and write. She’s not in a vegetative state. It is a spectrum. I can spend an hour with her and recognize that my 8 year old has skills and comprehension that Grace doesn’t have. But in some areas she is incredibly bright and gifted. So your mandatory welfare check is for nothing unless you take the time to get to know her rather than glance at the surface.”
The social worker froze. And then TRIED to recover but CB was already way too mad.
So…in case anyone was wondering, the system is broken. And when they get tired of doing their job, they just…stop. No matter how many reports they get. No matter the risk of danger.
The system silences victims and we suffer because of it.
The system is broken.