Fixing Families Book

The ways children?s rights are handled by the state remain highly controversial, frequently criticized, and a topic of national interest, yet little is known about the actual operations of the child welfare system. Fixing Families takes us inside Child Protective Services, for an in-depth look at the entire organization, from the time allegations of child maltreatment are investigated through the court process during which parents try to regain custody of their children from the overburdened foster care system. Jennifer Reich shows how parents negotiate with the state for custody of their children, and struggle to challenge state views of them as failed families. During her investigation, Reich had access to many levels of CPS action, and she discusses the role of the agency from the beginning of its dealing with a family, to the end, when a case is discharged. Within each chapter are heartbreaking stories culled from her many ride-alongs with social workers, interviews with parents whose children have been placed in state custody, and the numerous juvenile court cases that she was able to observe?stories which illustrate the personal consequences of bureaucratic decisions.Read More