1	SECTION IV ALLEGATIONS & INVESTIGATIONS
2	WHEN FOSTER FAMILIES ARE BEING INVESTIGATED, THEY ARE LIVING UNDER A MICROSCOPE”
3	Who is likely to make an ALLEGATION? Allegation by child. Allegation by community member. Allegation made by a relative of the foster family. Allegation made by the bio-family of your foster child.
4	"Allegations are generally investigated by..." Allegations are generally investigated by the Intake Social Worker using the Standards for child protection cases integrated with the Risk Assessment Model for Child Protection in Ontario.
5	SOCIETY’S INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURE Worker informs Supervisor Worker completes Serious Occurrence Report and the People Profile Supervisor reviews Serious Occurrence Report Supervisor informs Director of Services
6	SOCIETY’S INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURE (CONT’D) Serious Occurrence meeting is held Social Worker opens a Protection file If police are involved, criminal charges may be laid Interview (Foster Parent Advocate) Outcome of investigation: founded, unsubstantiated
7	THE INVESTIGATION Know your Society’s policies and procedures for investigating allegations of abuse; Follow the Society’s guidelines; Should the Society not follow the guidelines, ask for a written reason as to why the delay or change; Should there be any part of the policy or procedure which you do not understand, ask for clarification; Do you have an Advocate/Communicator Program available?
8	THE INVESTIGATION All children in the home are interviewed under the age of 18. Child is seen within 12 hours (severe abuse) or seven days (all others). Consultation with Supervisor.
9	UNDER INVESTIGATION Don’t panic if you are innocent most allegations are resolved quickly. Deny immediately if innocent; then don’t discuss without your legal counsel present. Obtain legal advice immediately. Don't talk to "anyone!' about the particulars of your situation prior to consulting with, or obtaining the services of a lawyer. You can check with your local foster family association to see if they maintain a list of lawyers familiar with child welfare law, or if they can recommend a lawyer.
10	UNDER INVESTIGATION Obtain legal advice immediately (cont’d). Police have the right to question you. Their interest is to try and discover the truth. You have the right not to make any statements without a lawyer present. Asking to have a lawyer present does not imply guilt. You have a right to have a lawyer present regardless of your innocence or guilt If you are taken to the police station, ask to have a lawyer present before you make any comments or statements. Police are not permitted to promise you special treatment or favours in return for your statement; write down any promise of this kind if one is made and advise your lawyer. Do not sign anything without a lawyer present.
11	UNDER INVESTIGATION Contact a foster parent association support worker (Communicator) Do not make any statements to the Society. Explain to your Society why you will not be making a statement. Do not contact the child Be prepared to be put under the microscope –both Defence lawyer and Crown lawyer will do this. Review the records you received when the child was placed to see if there have been similar allegations. Review your own records to see if there is anything in them that can give you an idea of why this might be happening. Has there been behaviour changes recorded that might indicate abuse had been happening within the foster family?
12	UNDER INVESTIGATION Begin a diary - leave out subjective things, Keep a written record of all telephone calls, visits, or meetings that take place. Prepare for immediate rejection – by the people around you and possibly family. Prepare for frequent absences from the home. (interviews, lawyers etc.) Accept that this allegation could take years to be resolved.
13	OUTCOMES In an average year, there may be 20 allegations of which less than one may be substantiated and/or founded. Unsubstantiated means couldn’t be proven. Founded means established, found to be true.
14	OUTCOMES You could be found guilty and sentenced. Depending on the province/territory in which you reside, your name may or may not be placed on a child abuse registry or child welfare information system, regardless of outcome. This is not a criminal record, but the information could be used to deny you foster care opportunities in the future. You should request information from your lawyer about having your name removed from a registry
15	OUTCOMES You may be committed to stand trial on a criminal charge. You are innocent until proven guilty. Charges can be dropped. There can be an acquittal (not guilty). The charges may be plea‑bargained to a lesser charge, or the charges can be unsubstantiated. This does not necessarily mean you can foster again. You will need to get a letter from your Society about your being able to be a foster family again.
16	OUTCOMES The investigation may find no proof for the allegation and the child, if removed, may be returned to your care. The child may not be returned. Although there has been insufficient proof to proceed ahead with a criminal charge, the foster family/Society may decide that it is in everyone's best interests that the child be placed elsewhere, e.g., his/her natural family, etc. It is also possible that the Society will struggle with whether to use you again. You will want to make sure you get a letter outlining the disposition of the case, and a copy of whatever will be placed in your file. Most Society s will have appeal procedures that can be utilized. Make sure you know these.
17	REACTIONS & FEELINGS AFTER AN ALLEGATION Substantiated abuse by spouse/partner is especially hurtful.
18	REACTIONS & FEELINGS AFTER AN ALLEGATION Physically: Can’t sleep Can’t eat Can’t concentrate Disinterest in sexual relationships
19	REACTIONS & FEELINGS AFTER AN ALLEGATION Trauma - is rooted in the experience of being overwhelmed by a sudden, unexpected and overwhelming life event. Many foster parents express shock and disbelief at finding themselves under official investigation without any warning. Betrayed by child & system - feeling betrayed when their prime source of support, social worker, etc. is told not to talk to them. The foster parent might feel embittered, isolated and betrayed Ashamed & embarrassed – being accused of child abuse is a form of degradation. The accused face having their identity and reputation recast in the eyes of the community. Foster parents often report feelings of inadequacy, shame, and a general decline in self‑esteem and self‑respect.
20	REACTIONS & FEELINGS AFTER AN ALLEGATION Anger - from the feeling of implied guilt. Hostility can occur. Most foster parents feel angry and defensive. Confusion Worried Paranoid Helpless - feeling of being out of control of one’s life. Foster parent not always given the opportunity to explain their side of the story. Often not given information regarding the progress of the investigation.
21	Coping After an Allegation After an allegation families can be left with a number of issues that might need to be addressed: Loss of natural children Reappraisal of fostering Impact on marital state Impact on the children in the home Shift in personal goals and responses High anxiety 4-6 weeks or longer
22	Coping After an Allegation Feeling of severe depression Loss of sense of self & self esteem Loss of employment, wages, pension plans etc. Financial burden (e.g. Having to re-mortgage, borrow $) Communication with Society Loss of credibility – community, employer, friends, peers and all members of the foster family should recognize the need to attend to the feelings generated when an allegation occurs. A support group for foster parents who have gone through this process could be helpful. After seeking legal advice on confidentiality, you should seek out appropriate professional help as a family, so that the healing and forgiveness can begin to take place. It may also help your financial planning for the future if you consult an accountant.
23	"Commit to children and you..." Commit to children and you commit to our future.
24	"THIS BRINGS US TO THE..." THIS BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE TRAINING SESSION SAFEGUARDING – YOU & YOUR FAMILY. The next few slides outline case studies. Questions on the case studies are provided for you to reflect on. They are not part of the test. Following the case studies you will find a link to register and complete the test questions. Successful completion of the test is required in order to obtain a certificate of completion. Registration provides us with your e-mail address & name for the certificate. Privacy: Please note that any and all the information received will be treated as confidential and used only for statistical purposes only. We will not divulge any names of participants.
25	CASE STUDY The O’Neills
26	THE O’NEILLS The O'Neill's have fostered for several years and have many foster children. They are more interested in just “taking care of children” than filling out forms, bothering their worker with phone calls, attending training or keeping logs. They are an active couple. Mr. and Mrs. O’Neill are involved in their church one or two evenings a week and Mrs. O’Neill volunteers every Tuesday evening at the local Women’s Shelter. They have two girls, ages five and twelve, and a fourteen year old son who often baby-sits when his parents are at church meetings. They are currently fostering 12 year old Cindy who has been with them for four months. She is young for her age and at the same time, somewhat ‘street smart’. She is very loyal to her mother and has told her such things as when they went bowling, the clothes the O'Neills have purchased for her, and the time the O'Neills’ 12 year old was so upset she was sent to her room. She has told her mother how the O'Neills have disciplined her. Mr. O’Neill takes Cindy to her supervised visits with her mother as it is the same night that Mrs. O’Neill volunteers at the Shelter.
27	THE O’NEILLS (Cont’d) The O'Neills feel it is important to treat all children as “their own” and are affectionate and physical with Cindy. They believe that this approach helps her to feel she is part of the family. Cindy likes the hugs offered and appears to trust Mr. O’Neill and is more animated with him. Several times, Cindy has watched their five year old snuggle on her dad’s lap and she has plunked herself down on his lap looking for the same affectionate hugs. She has started to request that Mr. O’Neill kiss her goodnight once she is tucked into bed. THINK ABOUT: Question: What are the risk factors for an abuse allegation? Question: What Safety Plan should be put in place?
28	THE HUSSONS Mrs. Husson is very experienced. She was a Health Care Aid and she operated a private day care prior to starting her own family. Mr. Husson is a truck driver and is away from home Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. They have four children; the eldest being eight years old. Their eight year old has been diagnosed with ADHD and requires a great deal of attention and directing. The Hussons were opened as a foster home for seven months prior to getting their first placement. They had little contact with the Society while they awaited their first placement. The contact since they have had placements has been sporadic. They feel it is important not to bother the extremely busy workers with little things Because they have fostered very young children, they have never used relief and they don’t reel it is fair to send the foster children to relief when their own children remain at home.
29	THE HUSSONS (Cont’d) Mrs. Husson “has her days” when she feels she is a single mother when her husband is away so much. She doesn’t think about that as she is too busy. They try to attend cluster but because of Mr. Husson’s work schedule, they rarely make the meetings. They have a young busy family and because of this, they have taken little training offered by the Society. Although they were opened for infants and toddlers, they have accepted a sibling group – a five year old named Scott, and a seven year old, named Sue. Although they received a great deal of information from the Society they did not call the previous foster parent nor did they come to the office to read the file on these children prior to accepting the placement. Because of the gender and age mix, they have Sue and their eight year old, Jen, share a bedroom. This can be very disruptive at bedtime as both children seem to need so much attention when “I am often feeling out of sorts at that time of the day”.
30	THE HUSSONS (Cont’d) Mrs. Husson is finding her house very busy and never finds time at the end of the day to write her logs for the children. Scott and Sue came from an extremely neglectful and aggressive home where boundaries were undefined and hitting and shouting controlled behaviours. Both children are verbally and physically aggressive with each other, with peers and with adults. Neither child will take no for an answer and pushes the limits and buttons of adults and peers. Sue has been suspended from school several times for aggressive behaviour. She always blames someone else as the cause for her aggression. Mrs. Husson found out from the school that Sue is a “story teller” and has accused teachers of being mean to her.
31	THE HUSSONS (Cont’d) The court ordered access (twice per week) leaves the children upset for one or two days after the visit. Although contact has been minimal, Mrs. Husson feels the mother is angry and is looking for someone to blame. Sue makes the odd comment/accusation that somehow it is Mrs. Husson’s fault that she is not at home with her mother. THINK ABOUT: Question: What are the risk factors for an abuse allegation? Question: What Safety Plan should be put in place?
32	Suggested Reading List: "Abuse in Foster Homes, Characteristics of the Vulnerable Child", Emily Jean McFadden National Foster Care Projects, Institute for the Study of Children and Families - presented at the Fifth International Foster Care Organization Conference, Leeds, England, July 1987. "The Abuse of Children in Foster Care": A Study of Incidence, Characteristics, and the Precipitating Factors, Ross Dawson, Toronto: Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies n.d. "Abusive Indicators in Children`` Canadian Mental Health Association, Manitoba Division in People Helping People Vol. 5, October 1990. "Allegations of Abuse in Family Foster Care": "An Examination of the Impact on Foster Families`", Jacob Sprouse Jr., a, King George, Virginia: American Foster Care Resources, Inc, 1989. "Caring for Children and Youth Who Have Been Sexually Abused', Linda Croll, Naturas and the National Youth In Care Network, 1991.
33	Suggested Reading List: "The Caring Response", David Austin and William Halpmin, Journal of Child and Youth Care, Vol.4, No. 3, 1989. "Consequences of Child Abuse Allegations for- Foster Families", Rosemary Carbino, Editor, and Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin - Madison Health and Human Issues, 1991. "Enhancing Biological and Foster Sibling Interactions", James Piers, in Lasting Connections: Proceedings of the 6th Foster Care Organization Education Conference, ed. Emily Jean McFadden Eastern Michigan University, 1991. "Foster Care Handbook", Children's Aid Society of London and Middlesex "The Foster Care Research Project Summary and Analysis" Dr. Paul Steinhauer, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 33, August 1988.
34	Suggested Reading List: "Foster Care Respite Program"!, Sandra Boelter, in Lasting Connections: Proceedings of the 6th International Foster Care Organization Education Conference, ed. Emily Jean McFadden, Eastern Michigan University, 1991. "The Parents Handbook": Systematic Training for Effective Parenting, Dinkmeyer and McKay, American Guidance Service, Random House, 1982 "Preventing Child Abuse and Child Abuse Allegations in Foster Care", Ross Dawson, from Lasting Connections: Proceedings of the 6th International Foster Care Organization Education Conference, ed. Emily Jean - McFadden, 1991. "Prevention of Abuse Allegations": Safeguards for Foster Parents (draft), B. C. Federation of Foster Parent Associations, 1992.
35	Suggested Reading List: "The Sexually Abused Child in Foster Care", Emily Jean McFadden, in Specialist Foster Care A Normalizing Experience. The Haworth Press, Inc, 1989. "Sharing My Parents Making Fostering a Positive Experience for Birth and Adopted Children of Foster Parents", Becky Richardson, in Lasting connections: Proceeding of the 6th International Foster Care Organization Education Conference, Jean McFadden, ed., Eastern Michigan University, 1991. "Support for Foster Parents Accused of Child Abuse", Stephen Nixon, Carolyn Hicks and Sue Ells, London, England National Foster Care, Association.
36	Suggested Reading List: "To Be On Our Own with No Direction From Home": A Report on, the, Special Needs of Youth Leaving the Care of the Child Welfare System Brian Raychaba, - Ottawa- National Youth in Care Network, 1988. "We Get A Life Sentence: Young People in Care Speak Out on Child Sexual Abuse", Brian Raychaba, National Youth in Care Network 1989. "When Children Act Out Sexually, A Guide for Parents and Teachers", Jean Napier Hemy, Family Services of Greater Vancouver, 1991. All policies, guidelines and procedure manuals within your agency.
37	Course Certificate If you wish to receive a Course Certificate, please do the following: Complete the registration form, test and course evaluation by clicking below; Submit to us via e-mail; A Course Certificate will be emailed to you upon successful completion of the test. A mark of 90% or higher is required. Thank-you for your interest in this on line training course Click here for Registration Form