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Rights for Australian Welfare Clients/DOCS
Published by ipursuejustice on Jun 10, 2009
21 Signatures 
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Target: Governmental Welfare Agencies
Region: Australia
Web site: http://www.power4parents.org
Background (Preamble):
In Australia, a governmental welfare agency (DOCS in NSW) can remove a child from a biological parent just because of a report made to the help line. The complaint does not have to be validated or proven. This is because there are no guidelines in place as to when it is appropriate to remove a child. In addition to this, if it is a reported abuse about a foster carer, the report will often be dismissed and not undergo a thorough investigation.
Victims of Domestic Violence are crucified for offering information to caseworkers about their families. Caseworkers do this by using the information that is volunteered to them against the victim to remove the child on the basis of 'inadequate parenting'. Domestic Violence is a crime of which the perpetrators need to take solo responsibility for. It is unconstitutional in America for a welfare caseworker to claim that a victim is a bad parent and remove the child just because they have been abused.
Domestic Violence victims need to be adequately supported when going to welfare for assistance. The viewpoint of DOCS NSW though, is that they 'act in the best interest of the child'. They do not consider the effect upon the victim parent or the child in separating them.
Evidence presented to welfare caseworkers and the Family Law Court in these cases is often dismissed. In the long term, DOCS often closes their files on the family denying the right for the family to reconcile no matter how much progress is made.
The opportunity for family reunion needs to stay open unless the child has been the recipient of a heinous crime at the hands of the parent. Welfare must acknowledge that it is 'in the child's best interest to be raised by a biological parent'. They must not keep a child in a foster placement when they have a parent who is ready and able to take care of them.
Welfare agencies must provide resources and contacts of support to assist families they consider to be 'at risk'.
For more information about the injustices suffered by parents, go to power4parents.org and wehategovdept.com, I have posted a longer version of the petition on both of these sites. I have a blog on wehategovdept.com, welfare clients have rights too!
Victims of Domestic Violence are crucified for offering information to caseworkers about their families. Caseworkers do this by using the information that is volunteered to them against the victim to remove the child on the basis of 'inadequate parenting'. Domestic Violence is a crime of which the perpetrators need to take solo responsibility for. It is unconstitutional in America for a welfare caseworker to claim that a victim is a bad parent and remove the child just because they have been abused.
Domestic Violence victims need to be adequately supported when going to welfare for assistance. The viewpoint of DOCS NSW though, is that they 'act in the best interest of the child'. They do not consider the effect upon the victim parent or the child in separating them.
Evidence presented to welfare caseworkers and the Family Law Court in these cases is often dismissed. In the long term, DOCS often closes their files on the family denying the right for the family to reconcile no matter how much progress is made.
The opportunity for family reunion needs to stay open unless the child has been the recipient of a heinous crime at the hands of the parent. Welfare must acknowledge that it is 'in the child's best interest to be raised by a biological parent'. They must not keep a child in a foster placement when they have a parent who is ready and able to take care of them.
Welfare agencies must provide resources and contacts of support to assist families they consider to be 'at risk'.
For more information about the injustices suffered by parents, go to power4parents.org and wehategovdept.com, I have posted a longer version of the petition on both of these sites. I have a blog on wehategovdept.com, welfare clients have rights too!
Petition:
We the undersigned believe that Child Welfare Agencies must be thoroughly investigated.
We are requesting for every area office nationwide to have their files opened for investigation.
We are demanding that clients of these offices be given the right to freedom of speech and to bring forth evidence as to why their families should be re-united.
We are also demanding that Welfare agencies stop systematically abusing Domestic Violence victims.
We are requesting for every area office nationwide to have their files opened for investigation.
We are demanding that clients of these offices be given the right to freedom of speech and to bring forth evidence as to why their families should be re-united.
We are also demanding that Welfare agencies stop systematically abusing Domestic Violence victims.
The Rights for Australian Welfare Clients/DOCS petition to Governmental Welfare Agencies was written by ipursuejustice and is in the category Justice at GoPetition. Contact author here. Petition tags: docs, injustice, welfare, child, children, government, agency, family law court, help, caseworker, parent, parenting, foster care, foster parent, freedom, trauma, scared, abuse, domestic violence
