I am writing to express my strong support for HB 1222, which would allow any persons to record their communication with Child Protective Services personnel during an investigation. As a social work student, I am completing my clinical internship in a residential facility for adolescents, many of whom were involved with Child Protective Services at some point in time. I am concerned that failure to codify HB1222 will result in contentious interactions between CPS and the subjects of their investigations to go undocumented, intensifying the secondary trauma on the affected children.
Many of the adolescents I work with are in the custody of the Department of Social Services. For these young individuals who have endured considerable trauma already (i.e. events that elicited the CPS investigation), the process of coming into custody is, in itself, a secondary trauma. I recently worked with an adolescent resident whose adoptive mother livestreamed CPS’s removal of her adopted children. With no other recorded account of the incident, this moment immortalized the adolescent’s belief in her adoptive mother’s victimhood and what appeared to be CPS’s malevolent intent. Children involved in CPS family investigations have often been inundated with misinformation about CPS involvement.
Interactions recorded only through the lens of the investigated family contribute to a narrative of CPS workers as malevolent “child snatchers.” As an emerging social worker, I am vitally aware of the general public’s mistrust and misconceptions about social workers, particularly those with CPS. I believe that “any person may record any communications between themselves and child-protective services personnel,” under HB1222, will protect the families being investigated, hold CPS workers accountable, and prevent further one-sided narratives. I know that I, and my fellow constituents, want to act in the best interest of children and families.
I am writing to express my strong support for HB 1222, which would allow any persons to record their communication with Child Protective Services personnel during an investigation. As a social work student, I am completing my clinical internship in a residential facility for adolescents, many of whom were involved with Child Protective Services at some point in time. I am concerned that failure to codify HB1222 will result in contentious interactions between CPS and the subjects of their investigations to go undocumented, intensifying the secondary trauma on the affected children. Many of the adolescents I work with are in the custody of the Department of Social Services. For these young individuals who have endured considerable trauma already (i.e. events that elicited the CPS investigation), the process of coming into custody is, in itself, a secondary trauma. I recently worked with an adolescent resident whose adoptive mother livestreamed CPS’s removal of her adopted children. With no other recorded account of the incident, this moment immortalized the adolescent’s belief in her adoptive mother’s victimhood and what appeared to be CPS’s malevolent intent. Children involved in CPS family investigations have often been inundated with misinformation about CPS involvement. Interactions recorded only through the lens of the investigated family contribute to a narrative of CPS workers as malevolent “child snatchers.” As an emerging social worker, I am vitally aware of the general public’s mistrust and misconceptions about social workers, particularly those with CPS. I believe that “any person may record any communications between themselves and child-protective services personnel,” under HB1222, will protect the families being investigated, hold CPS workers accountable, and prevent further one-sided narratives. I know that I, and my fellow constituents, want to act in the best interest of children and families.