Over the years, as this CPS worker dealt with similar cases, he kept a running list of the kinds of dilemmas, frustrations, and contradictions he and his colleagues regularly faced. These are excerpts from his list:
1. Abused and neglected children desperately need to be loved and nurtured in order to develop into healthy teens and adults. We can see that their needs for shelter, food, clothing, and medical care are met, but we can’t insure that they will be loved, nurtured, and given a chance for some type of success. These deficits in their lives present a clear problem. Are there people in this community who have the capacity and are willing to invest the time to insure that a child feels loved and valued? Where could we find volunteers willing to take on this type of challenge? Could we approach church groups, PTAs, college or high school organizations, or service clubs?