Need advice ASAP welfare not helping

[laurie021]

My partner and i are extremly worried about our 3 niece's. They are aged 11 weeks and 14 months. There mother and father are are only 18 and 19 respectively. We have reported them to Child Welfare several times. The 11 week old baby was born full term at 5 pound 4 we suspect that this is due to drugs being smiked during pregnancy. Welfare has been to see them once and check on their living environment but still nothing has been done. This has been going on for almost a year now and we just dont know what to do anymore.

We had the house that they live in raided by the drug squad and both of the parents were charged with posetion of illegal substances, devices used for drug use and both tested positive for drugs and still welfare did nothing.

The childrens father is very vilent and often goes crazy and punches holes in the wall, we suspect he hits the kids mother and he has even killed a kitten at one stage.

The thing that concers us the most is that we are now being told that he has had another of his angry episodes and has wripped off the toilet door and thrown it through a wall. We are also told that he pushed the 14 month old girl into the wall.

We dont care what happens to the parents we just want the best for the children. We want them to be safe and we feel for them to be completly removed from that environment is the only way they are going to be safe.

We are at a wits end. Any advice as to what to do next would be greatly appreciated. Welfare seem to be doing nothing!

thanks

[cookie087]

I feel for you, I knew someone in the same boat as you an it took about a year before anything happened. I'd report it Chlid Welfare again and again until they do something about it, and DOCS (if there is one in your state). It might even pay to contact your local police station, and centrelink and make them aware of your situation. The more people that know, the more likely something can be done. I wish you luck and ill pray for the 3 girls safety and wellbeing.

[crazymuma]

Just keep calling welfare - eventually they will have to act.

Have you tried talking to the mother - seriously if she knew she had support she might just be tempted to get away from him and call the police.

If he is violent this isn't an easy situation for her. Talk to her - let her know she can call at any time - either to talk of get you to come and get her or the kids.

Seriously though are the childrens basics being cared for - are they well fed and clothed??

[MummyDaddy]

If you really want something done. Make an anonymous call to the media with a gentle reminder about the children who have died recently in the media whilst welfare / docs did nothing. Then tell Welfare that's what you have done.

[laurie021]

Believe me we have ALL spoken to her. I think she is a lost cause. She does care for the children but i dont think she cares enough. She definatly does not put them first. She often has them out walking the streets at 12 at night. They are always dirty, have dirty clothes. The 11 week old is TINY i have an 8 week old and my daughter is ALOT bigger than my niece. The 14 month old is also small. They are always sick. My sister in law use to have the kids alot and the 8 week old has- had trush in her mouth for about 4 weeks and has some form of chest infection or something. When you hold her you can feel her chest rattle she is that sick. I dont deny that they are fed. But i dont agree with what they get fed. I have not even once seen the 14 month old (even when she started on solids) eat a tin of baby food or even mashed vegies. Its always mcdonalds chips. I dont think this is a healthy balanced meal for a 14 month old child.

I know some of these things might seem petty but i just get frustrated. We have spent hours on the phone to welfare and the police. We though the drug raid and charges and positive testing to drugs would kick welfare into gear but that was months ago now and still nothing. My partner and i are going back to the police stationa and into welfare tomorrow but are not very hopeful that anything will get done.

[laurie021]

If you really want something done. Make an anonymous call to the media with a gentle reminder about the children who have died recently in the media whilst welfare / docs did nothing. Then tell Welfare that's what you have done.


Thats a great idea. Thanks very much. Ill give it a go. Anything that might helo is worth a try!

[MummyDaddy]

If they are taking drugs whilst the children are in their care then they are definately not looking out for the children.

The violence goes hand in hand with this kind of abusive situation.

I reckon you tell welfare you are going to the media if they don't do something and it might just work.

[Veritas]

If you know that he is being violent to the mother, or worse the children, ring the police on each and every occassion..... If she is not willing to call the cops on him and remove herself and her precious children from the situation, give her no option....

Keep calling the appropriate Child Protection Service... tell them absolutely everything you know, including drug use, household conditions, violence.... if you have the opportunity to photograph any evidence do so....

As much as it may seem like these processes take forever, there are often too many higher risk cases and not enough caseworkers to go around.... no excuse I know.... so you need to push and push for this case to become one of those they can't ignore or put on the waiting pile....

[laurie021]

We have photos of a rather large bag of weed in the babies box of nappies. We took the weed and gave it to the police. We also took the pictures to welfare. as said above the house was raided and both parents tested positive to drugs.

For a while we were hopeful that the children were going to be removed. Welfare went to my mother in laws house and asked if she would take the older girl (before the baby was born) then not long after my sister in law (who has also been in close contact with welfare) received a phone call asking questions about the mothers due date and which hospital she was going to and what not. We were hoping welfare were going to take the children when the baby was born. But they didn't Nothing yet.

We will keep trying until something gets done. We dont want to end up seeing our nieces severly hurt!

[wocket]

could you offer to care for the children yourself?