wilkes

Prescription drug abuse is a huge, huge problem in Wilkes County. This is one of the big reasons Wilkes DSS has so many children in custody. I know some of the DSS workets and I can tell you that they have the children as the top priority. They have state mandated guidelines they must follow and each worker usually carries many many cases. If your kids were removed, they had a good reason. If you havent got them back then you are not trying hard enough!

Here is why kids need to be removed from homes with drug addicts, dealers, and producers.
That is so true. This is such a sad story. What is wrong with these people. Drugs mean more to them then their own children. I would not even smoke when I found out I was pregnant with my child, and I sure would have never dreamed of doing anything like this. My child was not even took to see some of my husbands family because of the drug abuse they did in their home. They may think its ok to do it around their kids but im not having it around mine. I took a lot of bad things said about me from them because I wouldn;t take her to see them. But just like I told them Its not allowed around my child. If you want to see her come to my house were no drugs are allowed. Its bad enough for the parents to do it, but around their children. My heart just don;t understand it.

Here is why kids need to be removed from homes with drug addicts, dealers, and producers.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRI...tml?hpt=T2

I agree Emmy I have even known them to call the parents and warn them they were coming out to. I have seen them put the kids back in homes that they should never been put back in. I have also saw some who do a good job also I think it all depends on who the case worker is and if they are there to really do the job and protect these children or its just a pay check to them. I think they do have some who care, but they have some I know don;t.

I have known DSS to give the children back to the parents, parents that did not deserve to have them back. They did it not just one time but about four...each time the parents did not care at all. I think DSS needs to get some things straightened out.

It's not public knowledge how many kids are in DSS custody. Those kids are protected. Sadly, Wilkes has a very high number of kids in DSS custody.

And, money is not the root of all evil...its the love of money.

for many years i saw many dss cases..the one ting i always saw was dss trying to put the child back in the home as being top priority....one thing i would like to know is were you using meth....i think your attitude is going to cause you a lot of problems.... call the news media get your pic on tv to get your kids back....that attitude is doing you more harm than good.... you made your problem ...now you have to live with the consequences of it....dss gets nothing for adopting kids out...it cost the taxpayers of wilkes county and the state of north carolina to support your children....this is a large part of our budget short falls that are ending up costing state workers in other areas and our area their jobs....i call it responsible parenting...you have children then you respect them enough to put them ahead of your personal pleasures....i have seen wat too much if irresponsible moms and dads....life is not always party time....and sitting around whining about it doesnt make it happen....i think its time you stop the whining on go wilkes get a job and show them you are a responsible parent and can work and support your child....also if meth was involved....then your home isnt fit to bring a child back into...as meth penetrates the walls and floors of your residence...and if the kids were there during your drug time they were exposed to the effects of your drugs.... maybe thats why they havent returned them as of yet....stop whining and become a responsible adult....if you cant then do the right thing for your children and let someone responsible raise them whether its family or friends or strangers....the childrens welfare should be first

WOW !!! A lot of good points from both sides. And I must say, both are right at certain things. My wife and I have been foster parents for several years now. We have seen first hand at how the system works. And in that system, the case worker has a lot to do with how the process goes. It's all according to how lazy or how on top that worker is. We have had to deal with both in all the years we have been doing this. Yes, it boils down to parents doing or not doing what they should of been as parents, causing themselves to lose their children. But nobody is perfect and we do all make mistakes. I have seen children taken from their homes for hardly any reason at all. But I also have seen children placed right back into homes that they should of never been let back into, and eventually taken away again. Our system isn't perfect, but at least they are trying to save what kids they can. The hardest thing that we have had to see, is a child not wanting to go back to where they were taken, because of all the abuse, and the parents do pretty much nothing, but the judge ends up placing that child back into that home anyway. The child kicking and screaming, all because they know from previous experiences of all the abuse. Scared they are gonna have to go through it once again. It is heart breaking. At least the good stories out number the bad ones. That's why we keep on trying to help. Cause it isn't the child's fault that they are taken. The children do need a safe, comfortable place to be able to lay their heads at night while they are in DSS care, instead of having to go to a group home. Foster Parents get a bad rap from a lot of people. And yes, there are some bad ones out there. But I would be willing to bet that there are more good ones than bad ones. A lot of people think that others foster for the money, and some probably do. But I can say this, the ones that do, after all is said and done, they don't profit very much, if any, by the end of the month. Cause this day and time, it isn't cheap meeting up with all the needs and expenses of raising a child. What a lot of people doesn't realize too, is that, when a couple is given custody and/or guardianship of a child, the benifits for that child each month comes to a hault. That couple is left raising that child on their own. And the biological parents still has all their rights far as visits and chances to regain custody. So the system has its up's and it's downs. But as long as we are helping the children, that's all that matters to me. It is up to the parents, that the children are taken from, to do what they must do, to regain what is rightfully theirs. Good luck with your recovery from the drugs and alcohol. Keep it up and hang in there. Don't give up on your kids, cause chances are, they aren't giving up on you.

my poiont is, if u cared anything about your children u would not have put them in this situation to begin with. You took your pleasure over the children. No, u do not deserve to have them back until u are clean at least 2 years. So cry all you want but u do not need these children back in your care

I'm sry I have to agree with most of what I'ts life has to say....If your kids were in danger and you no they were w u using,,,,What if they were kidnaped, raped or some crap like that when you were "doing" your thing. Most not all drug users back slide from time to time. The kids are out of danger right now and for that u should be thankful, not on here looking like a druggie that for what ever reason wants here kids back... I m sry i dont think they should be given back, til u learn to put your kids b4 your drug use or men....

Does anyone think that the kids on Medicaid and welfare while in DSS care were NOT already on Medicaid and welfare before they were taken from their biological parents?

Okay, sorry to you lady but my feelin' on it is this> Most of us have seen a kid at one time hurt or endangered by a parent and some of us have even called the parents into DSS (shows my age, I guess. Longer you live, the more you see.) Nothing much happens - ever - on these call in's. So when I hear a woman talk about how her kids were taken away - and are being kept away, part of me thinks to myself that if an agency that most of us think is piss poor and doesn't do a dang thing is keepin' them away, there must be a pretty dang good reason.

im not sure that number is accurate. call them in the morning and ask them....we do have alot of drug addicts in this county....i will tell you this with 6-10 babies ( just in wilkes) being born every single month addicted to drugs and those kids are immediatly taken into custody the numbers im sure are alarming...im sure most of the kids that are removed from the homes are probably already receiving support services such as medicaid,foodstamps and daycare assistance if their parents work! maybe even a welfare check.... so nope laurie i dont know the races or numbers of the kids in protective custody but i do know they are for the most part better off....call the news stations you will look great to all of america, remember social services did not put your kids in this situation YOU DID! they saved your kids from a situation that YOU MADE A CHOICE TO DRAG THEM INTO A LIFESTYLE... DRUG ADDICTED parents should not be what a kid thinks is normal

They have nearly 3000 kids? Something is fishy, I'm doing everything they ask me too, but if I don't get them back soon I'm going to contact television news programs and see what's really going on. Wilkes only has a population of 70.000!!

I can tell you the number there is 2812 kids right now with the DSS Thay pay medicaid for every kids that thay have also the Family that has them and taking care of them get $416 a mouth to care for them and dss has to pay daycare for them also , If you will do what thay say you will get them back You must stay clean and take all the Class there is 23 class and there is 1 each week , You will get to see you kids 1 a week when you show that you are working on doing what thay ask this take about 4 mouths before thay will let you , Go To church Put it in the lords hands and He Knows what is best for the Kids , Im not trying to be mean or anything I just know how the DSS Works and thay are not there to F u over thay are there to see that the Kids are Fine and if you have a good lawey he or she know how long it will be so You sould ask him

This is for itslyfe, can you tell me how many kids dss has custody of in this county? Can you tell me what their sex & race is? If not how can someone find out? That should be public knowledge.

If a person stays clean and can find a job, then these rule you have just posted will not be hard at all to follow. Just think of the millions of people that get up everyday and keeps all these rules.

im not putting her down...think its great for bein clean NOW...she stated that her children were never neglected and if she really feel that way and probably has stated this to more than go wilkes , maybe her denial is hindering the return of her kids& not that they are white! how long has dss had them? how lon did they have them before you started workin all the programs they assigned to you? is this the first time they have had to remove them? if you keep doing everything your supposed to be doing, remember this soc services ultamite goal if FAMILY REUNIFICATION! so IF they are working on adopting them out then somewhere along the line you have dropped the ball more than once. TALK TO YOUR SOCIAL WORKER MAKE RECORDS OF YOUR CALLS AND THE RESULTS OF YOUR CALLS, MAKE SURE THEY ARE FULLY AWARE YOU ARE WANTING YOUR CHILDREN BACK!! KEEP ON TRACK AND STAY CLEAN.. YOU HAVE WORKED THIS HARD DONT LOSE FOCUS

I know someone who has lost their kids for basically the same reason. They were told that they would have to hold a steady job for a min. of 2 years, have a stable fit home for atleast 2 years, and have dependable legal transportation. Also, they had to attend parenting classes, and pass all drug tests that could be randomnly given. I agree that you should have thought about the consequences when you were abusing drugs when you still had your children. I also understand whats done is done and you cant go back and change that. I know people can change and turn their lives around for the good. If you really think you are fit to be a parent now and stay off drugs and be a responsible parent you need to seek a reputable child custoday lawyer and make sure that you have a fit home for the kids and means to care for them. Make sure you have done all things that DSS has told you do to. Not only to just get your kids back but do it because you love them and you want to be a good parent and for your children to have the best life possible!