Before You Call CPS, with Vivek Sankaren

When faced with a struggling family, bystanders can be quick to call CPS, not realizing that child protective agencies often aren’t equipped to help families and rush to punish them instead.  Vivek Sankaren is working to reform this broken system and provide families with helpful, high-quality legal care in the midst of CPS cases. Vivek…

Read More

The Problem with Anonymous Reporting, with Dale Cecka

Anonymous calls to report child abuse are designed to protect children, but far too often anonymous reporting is maliciously abused to harm families. What if we replaced anonymous calls with confidential reporting?  This week, Jim talks with Dale Cecka, author of “Abolish Anonymous Reporting to Child Abuse Hotlines”  and “How Child Abuse Hotlines Hurt the Very Children…

Read More

Vanessa’s Story: Innocent Mom Hogtied by Police, with Diane Redleaf

What would you do if CPS investigators broke into your home with no evidence? This week, Michael talks with Diane Redleaf, author of They Took the Kids Last Night, about Vanessa People’s case.  Vanessa is the mom who was hog-tied by police in her own home. Diane tells us the details of Vanessa’s story and…

Read More

Review: They Took the Kids Last Night by Diane Redleaf

They Took the Kids Last Night

Looking for More on the Supreme Court amicus brief? It’s here (and we apologize for the extra click). —Michael T. Ramey, Executive Director Published in late 2018, Diane Redleaf’s They Took the Kids Last Night: How the Child Protection System Puts Families at Risk is an excellent read. Redleaf, who works with our lobbying arm in…

Read More