So what were we told is "child abuse" in my work orientation meeting by rep from CPS?

[JJJ]

It has long been my position that parenting classes should be mandatory in schools. In fact I think it should be mandatory in elementary, middle school and high school with no exceptions (obviously based on the appropriate age group). Around here, I think, there is an elective that includes one of those crying baby dolls that go home overnight...but that's an elective.

Absolutely! Child care is a unit in our consumer ed requirement but 2 weeks is not nearly enough when 40-50% of these teens will go onto to become parents in their lifetimes.

 

[klmno]

They either ignore and close files on legitimate cases of abuse and then a month later, the child is dead OR they go in like gangbusters and break up homes for mere suspicion with little evidence of actual abuse.

I think this is the REAL problem in juvie and dss both- none of these people are trained well enough to really be able to see legitimate red flags. They spend the majority of their time barking up the wrong tree because they can't see the forest for the trees- and because they are usually fresh out of college and took the only job they could find and think they know everything.