Day 17 - Family Reunion in Court

As my family knows, I am a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in Bell and Coryell Counties for children who are caught in the CPS system.  My job is to advocate for the children in court so that they will have a voice for what is best for them.  I currently have two cases for a total of 5 children.  One case I have had since July 2016, and many things about it have been truly tough.  I can't go into any of the details but three precious children now ages 1, 2, and 3 were the focus of my advocacy.  During this year the two older ones have been in 5 different foster home placements and the baby in 3 because of separate placements.  I have worked with the children, the foster parents, the parents and CPS throughout this time.  Today was the final hearing with the possibilities of termination of parental rights, placement in yet another foster home or return to the parents.  For a long time, I thought the parents weren't going to get their act together to get the children back, but they have matured a lot during this year and so my final recommendation was that the children be returned to the parents on a monitored return (CPS caseworker and myself will continue to check in with the family weekly or by-weekly to make sure things are going smoothly).

 I have probably never prayed quite so fervently about guidance on what God's will for these children and parents should be and wisdom to recommend the right thing.  I turned in my court report recommending that the children go back to their parents with monitored return for 6 months.  If all is well during that time, the children will be out of the CPS system and with their parents again forever.  When I took this CASA volunteer position a little over a year ago, I never thought of the ramifications of that final recommendation for any family until the days approached for this hearing today.  What a huge responsibility--and to mess it up would mean devastation for either the parents, the children or both.  CPS was opposed to my recommendation and tried to get me to change it right before court began.  I stood my ground because God had given me a peace about my decision, and I felt that if my decision were wrong and CPS's was right, God was in control.  As it turned out, the judge took my recommendation and the children are probably moved back in with their parents by tonight.  The parents were full of joy and weeping as I walked out of court.  The father asked me if I would come by their house at my earliest convenience so they could take a picture of me with their children and be able to show it to them when they are older to say that I fought for them to grow up with their parents.  It was so touching and gratifying, and I continue to pray it was the right decision.

All of us as young parents probably had a time when we were careless with our children or not attentive or spanked them too hard or spoke to them too harshly.  These parents learned the hard way the heartache of losing your children to the Department and the nightmare of trying to get them back.  Young parents really need to take heed of their behavior with their children because anyone over careless actions or mindless words or deeds could end up losing the most precious things that God can ever give us--our children.   Wish I could post photos of these beautiful babies but I'm not allowed to but they would melt your hearts!