If a stranger took your kids away, we can guess how you’d react. After getting your children back, you’d want justice.
But what if the stranger was an overzealous and undertrained government agency with frightening powers over you and your kids?
What if this agency had only bits of evidence of child abuse but nonetheless became obsessed with taking your kids away or interrogating them at school?
Imagine them accusing you of doing the unthinkable to your kids.
You might feel helpless. After all, it’s your story versus a sprawling, government bureaucracy known as the Oklahoma Department of Human Services with a $5 billion annual budget.
It can ruin your life by merely shifting its weight.
Even raising your voice at your kids can get you in trouble with the government.
Parents, advocates, and people in Oklahoma’s legal community are troubled by the extraordinary enforcement and investigative powers gradually granted to Oklahoma Human Services over years and decades.
So keep reading. If you’re at risk of having your children taken away, turn to Joe Norwood and Norwood.Law to tell your side of the story.
This post is part of a series from Norwood.Law on your rights and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
Your family
Knowing the law is an important first step in protecting your family.
If the Human Services Department calls, visits your home, or shows up at your child’s school, it’s crucial to understand this: You are not in a neutral situation.
Removing a child from class to ask whether mommy hits is one of the most consequential things an adult can do to a child’s mental life. The decision to do it is being made by people who may have only weeks of training.
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has broad authorities and powers under the law. Judges favor the agency in disputes. That doesn’t mean you should refuse to interact with them.
It means engage carefully, document everything, and contact a lawyer at once if you find yourself facing allegations.
Record it
Don’t believe that you can stop an interview of your child by caseworkers at school.
Remember that everyone’s afraid of getting in trouble for not taking abuse allegations seriously enough. Telling a school principal that you don’t consent to an interview doesn’t halt the interview.
If you learn that Oklahoma Human Services interviewed your child at school, write down the date, time, and what your child says happened, in your child’s own words. Don’t coach. Don’t lead. Just record. Call a lawyer the same day.
Tell your kids that if they’re asked questions by a government worker, it’s okay to say “I want my parents here” or “I don’t want to talk without my parents.”
If you do find yourself facing allegations, stay calm and collected.
You’re free to argue with the caseworker, but your exchange will go into a report. Comply knowing that you can protest later.
If your children are removed, ask for the legal basis of the removal in front of witnesses.
The school interview is usually the first rather than the last step.
Next you should expect a home visit. This moment is when you should ask the Human Services Department in writing what allegation or allegations they are investigating. Department rules say the caseworker is supposed to tell you at the initial contact about the specific complaint. Get it in writing.
Falls short
There are a lot of reasons why a person would be scared of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
One is the training that some observers say falls short for department employees.
Workers might be handed a bulging caseload shortly after they finish training. If Oklahoma Human Services was staffed by better-trained and more-experienced professionals, the broad authority it holds might be easier to accept, some say.
The agency itself acknowledges ongoing problems with retention and turnover. Reporters in Oklahoma have called attention to training that many have criticized as inadequate.
Even sympathetic insiders describe their colleagues as overworked, underpaid, and under-qualified for the size of the decisions they are being asked to make.
Joe Knows
Joe Norwood and Norwood.Law have the experience and knowledge you need, no matter how tough your legal matter might be.
You could be wanting legal protection for your small business. You could be battling to protect your civil rights. You could be fighting for child custody.
Norwood.Law practices family, estate, personal injury, civil rights, criminal, business law and more. Let Joe Norwood help you return to the life you had or gain the one you want.
Call for a consultation at 918-582-6464.
Compel access
What if you try to deny the removal of your children? You can. But the Human Services Department can seek a court order compelling access.
In the news
Joe Norwood’s successes in both civil and criminal law have been publicized by news organizations nationwide.
So keep reading.
If the government accuses you of a crime or a corporation injures you, call Joe Norwood for a consultation at 918-582-6464.
Welfare
As a parent, you can reject or challenge attempts by caseworkers to interview your children. You can assert due-process violations. You can challenge the investigation’s propriety in court.
However, these objections are subject to the overriding principle that the child’s best interests and safety take precedence. Judicial oversight and statutory safeguards are intended to ensure that both the rights of parents and the welfare of children are balanced.
Joe wins
Joe Norwood’s record says it all.
He’s won against the government over wrongful convictions. He’s won against foreign manufacturers. He’s won against banking interests and insurance companies. Explore Norwood.Law for more.
Joseph M. Norwood is a Tulsa attorney with the courtroom expertise you need. Contact his office at 918-582-6464.
By G.W. Schulz