C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S  

Special Features
Congressional breakthroughs in CAPTA reform

PHC adds faculty and students

HSLDA essay contest results

Regular Features
Active cases

Freedom watch

Around the Globe

Notes to Members

Prayer and praise

President's page

F.Y.I
HSLDA social services contact policy

A plethora of forms

Across the States
State by State

Early one morning, while Mrs. B was getting her children up, someone knocked on her door. Her young son answered it and returned with a social service agent's business card, reporting, "Here's the card from the lady that was going to take us away." Since this little boy had no knowledge of or any fear of social workers, the mother could only assume that the social worker had told him she would take the children. But by the time Mrs. B reached the door, the social worker had left.

Within a few hours, the social worker sent two police officers to the house to investigate allegations that the house was dirty, soiled diapers were everywhere, the family did not have enough furniture, and the kids were left home alone (their oldest child was 6). Within a few minutes of meeting the family, the police concluded that the allegations were "bogus" and that "somebody must be really mad at you." Nonetheless, they stated that the social worker still wanted to come and see the family.

When the social worker arrived the following day, the family contacted HSLDA and handed the phone out to the social worker, who observed the children from a distance and admitted that they were "well fed and well cared for."

The HSLDA attorney explained that the social worker could not come into the home nor interview the children as she had demanded, but the family would offer references of individuals in the community and in their church who would vouch for their competence as parents and testify that the allegations were completely false.

Such second hand information would just be "hearsay" and would not be sufficient, objected the social worker. She finally left when HSLDA explained that the anonymous tip she received was the real hearsay.

We expect this case to be closed soon.

— Christopher J. Klicka