Loveforfamily
Active Member
I am seeking advice on how to handle a situation involving CPS and my son’s custody. I am wondering if it is worth pursuing legal action against CPS or if there are other steps I should take.
To provide some context: I am the father of a young son and have had nearly full custody of him for the past year. During this time, I was responsible for all daycare costs (approximately $500 per month) and food expenses. My mother-in-law assisted by caring for him every other weekend. My partner, unfortunately, was largely absent due to significant mental health and addiction issues.
She has been charged with child neglect and is currently on probation for nearly four years. The neglect charge stemmed from an incident where she was under the influence, slipped while getting off a bus, and my son sustained minor injuries. This incident led to a traumatic experience for both my son and me, as we had to spend the entire night at the hospital.
Throughout my ex-partner's struggles, I have managed to keep my record almost entirely clean, with the exception of a charge for disturbing the peace. This incident occurred when police officers entered my apartment after I complied with their initial requests. The situation escalated when an officer placed his foot in the door, leading to a confrontation that resulted in the charge. I believe my Fourth Amendment rights were violated during this interaction.
Recently, there was an incident at a children’s play area where I temporarily lost sight of my son. The police were called, and they suggested that I was unfit to care for him. I attribute this incident to a mental breakdown caused by the pressures of working full-time, providing full-time care for my son, and participating in a required outpatient program (which involved 3-hour meetings four days a week and weekly urine analyses).
Following this incident, CPS has imposed strict measures and removed my son from my care. While I understand their concerns, I find this response excessive, especially considering I have no drug charges and my record, aside from the aforementioned incident, is clean.
Additionally, there was an action plan that was supposed to be signed by both my partner and me during this recent situation. However, I never signed this plan because the caseworker was switched, and the details were unclear. In my opinion, CPS is also not fulfilling its legal obligations. If the document was not signed, it indicates that the caseworker did not properly follow through with their responsibilities.
Given these circumstances, I am asking for guidance on how I might regain custody of my son. Should I consider legal action, or are there other avenues I should explore?
To provide some context: I am the father of a young son and have had nearly full custody of him for the past year. During this time, I was responsible for all daycare costs (approximately $500 per month) and food expenses. My mother-in-law assisted by caring for him every other weekend. My partner, unfortunately, was largely absent due to significant mental health and addiction issues.
She has been charged with child neglect and is currently on probation for nearly four years. The neglect charge stemmed from an incident where she was under the influence, slipped while getting off a bus, and my son sustained minor injuries. This incident led to a traumatic experience for both my son and me, as we had to spend the entire night at the hospital.
Throughout my ex-partner's struggles, I have managed to keep my record almost entirely clean, with the exception of a charge for disturbing the peace. This incident occurred when police officers entered my apartment after I complied with their initial requests. The situation escalated when an officer placed his foot in the door, leading to a confrontation that resulted in the charge. I believe my Fourth Amendment rights were violated during this interaction.
Recently, there was an incident at a children’s play area where I temporarily lost sight of my son. The police were called, and they suggested that I was unfit to care for him. I attribute this incident to a mental breakdown caused by the pressures of working full-time, providing full-time care for my son, and participating in a required outpatient program (which involved 3-hour meetings four days a week and weekly urine analyses).
Following this incident, CPS has imposed strict measures and removed my son from my care. While I understand their concerns, I find this response excessive, especially considering I have no drug charges and my record, aside from the aforementioned incident, is clean.
Additionally, there was an action plan that was supposed to be signed by both my partner and me during this recent situation. However, I never signed this plan because the caseworker was switched, and the details were unclear. In my opinion, CPS is also not fulfilling its legal obligations. If the document was not signed, it indicates that the caseworker did not properly follow through with their responsibilities.
Given these circumstances, I am asking for guidance on how I might regain custody of my son. Should I consider legal action, or are there other avenues I should explore?
