They need a warrant. They need to let us know the allegations against us. They need to pursue reasonable avenues to investigate unsubstantiated and potentially baseless claims from a single anonymous source – say, maybe, talking to the parents or possibly seeking input from friends and neighbors before they force their way into our homes and grill and strip search and generally traumatize our children.
Homeschool family harassed by social worker : Once again a social worker acting on an “anonymous tip” has bullied her way into a homeschooler’s house – this time, the anonymous tip was from eight months previous. You can see how truly worried they were about the children by that time span. Fortunately while the strip search of the children was going on – which revealed nothing untoward, of course – the mother got her wits about her, called HSLDA, and handed the phone to the social worker. HSLDA informed the social worker that she was violating federal law, and the family is now considering legal action.
Fortunately this particular case did not end in the children being removed from their home, though the social worker did recommend, on her way out, that the family subject themselves to psychological evaluations. To what purpose, I wonder? To evaluate and work through the trauma to which the children had just been needlessly subjected? The family declined and apparently also decided (wisely, one must regretfully assume) not to recommend the social worker go find someone to do some psych work on her.
We all hope and pray we will never hear that dreaded knock on our own doors, but in the interest of being prepared, here are some pointers. The main thing to remember is do not let them in without a warrant, nor let them speak to the children unless ordered by a judge. Also find out the allegations if you can.
When Child Protective Services Calls
What Should I Do When Child Protective Services Knocks on My Door
It seems so strange that a social worker would think that he or she had a right to barge into someone’s house like that. It’s also remarkable how quickly we all forget what our rights are. Nobody comes in your house without your consent or a warrant. Period. It’s all laid out in the U.S. Constitution.