First let me say, I worked for DCF for 4 years. I had a personal passion to help the youth of child welfare because my mother had been a foster parent, therefore I have siblings from child welfare. What I quickly learned was there are too many people at the "top" of that agency that are totally disconnected from the youth and families that they serve and work with.
Due to politics and political appointments, time and time again, that agency have leadership that have no idea of the real dynamics and magnitude of issues of those being served or the families they are working with. And by the time they learn the truth, it's time for them to leave and new political appointments with a new administration to come in. Now they want to be "seen" as the one that has all the answers so to make their appointer look good, before they have a real idea of what they are dealing with. It's sad to say, however, the Leadership's focus is never really on doing good...just on looking good for their time at that position.
Think about this...When was the last time that agency's Secretary had child welfare experience? How can they fix something they have no idea why it's broken. That's why the outcomes are so poor for the children and why the kids pay the price over and over again.
I do believe that some of those who accept that appointment really want to do good for the children and families, however, I think politics get in the way and their hands get tied.
Lillian Lima
Former Director of Minority Affairs & Community Engagement
This is a system that needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Why do I say this? My story; I had raised and loved a beautiful little boy from birth until the age of 4 when his mother moved in with a man and soon became pregnant by. I began to notice unusual behaviour in my grandson. Then shortly after the new baby arrived, my daughter called in tears that her boyfriend had beaten up my grandson and was now in jail. My grandson came home to me for just a month. My daughter was in a full blown "battered woman syndrome" defending this man. My grandson begged the officers not to make him go back with his mother because she had bailed out this man and moved into hiding from the court system. The release had a very stern order of "No Contact", the brevard county deputy told me "you have no say, he has no rights". Then I was told to "Prove it" My grandson was returned to the abusive home. I called DCF with with my concerns and again I heard "Prove it". I sold all I had, paid a private investigator and PROVED IT. The man was again arrested for Violation and DCF did nothing to the mother. With video's to prove, DCF turned a blind eye. Afterwards there was a crimeline tip of phone call exchanges and my life now threatened. It was at this point Domestic Violence became involved. They had to convience DCF of the obvious. The mother was endangering the child. DCF removed the child for 3 full hours and instructed the Judge of classes that would make the mother become a mother. My grandson was returned to the home again and again this man, now a convicted felon, beat up my grandson. With photographs handed to them, DCF ignored it all. DCF doesn't get it. Instead of giving this child safety from harm, they, themselves put my grandson on ritilian and Clonzipam to curb his anger and determination to come home. They drugged him up, closed the book on the case. This state has the second highest child abuse rates in the country. It has failed the national report card and in the same week held a cermony and pat on the back for preventing child abuse. It's been 2 years now, my grandson is 8 years old, a full blown drug addict, living in the middle of over 60 registered sex offenders. They lag far behind the one standard that this nation should hold the highest. Our children's safety, and grandparents rights. Because DCF, the State Attorney and Brevard County Sheriff's departments failure with charging this mother for child endangerment, they condone and crawl into the same boat with the Penn State officials that choose to ignore a child for the sake of the dollar.