How can you get custody for a child with an unfit mother? The mother has had DCFS called on her and no action?

Question

My step-daughter (boyfriend's daughter) has 2 kids with a woman who constantly leaves the kids at people's houses, including people she barely knows, leaves for days just to go out partying. She has had unstable housing by staying here and there at peoples houses. The kids have been in 6-10 different schools just these 2 recent school years. Why doesnt the school system look at this issue? She has had the people she left the kids with take them to the police station to only give the kids to their mother when she arrived with no questions asked. She has had DCFS called on her so many times by different people on each incident and there is still no action against her. My boyfriend has tried to take them away from her to only get a response from the judge "You want them only so you dont have to pay child support".. He will not listen to my boyfriend's side of the story. I am wondering if I can do something but I dont know what I can do. Someone please give me some advice.. Thank you

oh and by rhe way, thed mother has warrents and spends the child support money on herself since she has no job or have had one in the past 8 years..

Answer 1

I can understand what you are going through. The first call I made was the day my granddaughter was born. My daughter was using drugs and leaving the baby with whoever would take her for days at a time. Everytime I called to report her, I was told that they would have to catch her in the act. Even though she had been caught in the act on more than one occasion, the baby was not taken from her until she was ten months old. That was almost six months ago and now I'm fighting the foster care agency and child welfare. There are times that I wished I had never made those calls because now my grand baby is worse off than she was with her mother. She's been moved ten times in five months and has developed a fear of men.

Not being a blood relative, there is little you can do legally but you can be supportive of your boyfriend. He will need an attorney to get through this tough time. Perhaps you can suggest to the daughter that the two of you would be willing to keep the children until she is in a better position. I found out the hard way that attacking my daughter for her abusive behavior made matters worse. I finally accepted her the way she was and she slowly started to see that what she was doing was harmful. We are now working together to get the baby placed in my home and our relationship has blossomed.

There are many resources online that may help you. Try a search on kinship care and grandparent's rights in your area. I wish you all the best.

Answer 2

I don't know the state the children are in, laws differ, but contact the District Attorneys office, child abuse division and tell them nothing is being done. They will investigate through DCFS and see your boyfriends side. BTW, this is not your step-daughter if he is your boyfriend, so legally, you have no recourse yourself and most likely they will not deal with you, but with him only. So please keep that in mind. The schools rely on DCFS and the system to handle the problem, schools have enough to deal with on a daily basis witout getting involved in domestic problems. This is a legal issue and the District Attorney is who should be contacted.

Answer 3

MadforMAC has a great answer but your boyfriend can also ask for another Judge next time he tries to get custody. I also think he need to document the times and dates and how long the kids are left with strangers. Maybe even offer to take the kids yourselves when ever she wants to go out and then see if you can get custody if she abandons them again.

Answer 4

Does your loved ones have a legal professional? Talk to them asap. Don't get concerned with youngsters and adolescence till you speak to a legal professional. They would take your cousin and positioned her in a institution dwelling or foster care. If your fam. does not have a legal professional get one, that is going to be the pleasant course. You would have got to pass to court docket and end up that you just aunt is a nasty mother although. I do not wish to depart you a unique so when you have extra questions simply drop me an e mail.