就是按照规定，准时参加课程， 完成课程。至于多长时间的课程， 我想应该是取决于孩子的受虐程度。这个就是家长能做的了。在看一下另外一个重要因素，法官的裁决。这个过程也是很格式话的，律师也不可能改变什么。这个我等一下在写吧。还是比较长的，而且全是英文。

你以为是这个是请秀才帮你写个伸冤的状子，一切就解决了吗？写出来这个过程就是要让大家明白foster care cases take months or a couple of years.

到了目前这个状态，事件现在已经不受你当事人的控制，所有参与方都会被影响，命运将会有法官来决定。你能做的就是让法官作出有利于父母的决定，这一切都会来自父母如何来完成你的case plan. 你一定每次都要按时出庭。不要把重点放在找人，拉关系这一方面了，每个区这样的案例上百上千，你只是其中的一个，等等吧。

It depends. We don’t know if dcfs has two case plans for the parents (one for the brother or one for the sister) or just one. I intend to believe they would just have one because they believe there is a potential for the parents to endanger the daughter too.

如果孩子大于一岁，父母可以每两个星期见一次孩子，如果我没记错的话，要不然一个月一次。但是这个都是在DCFS工作人员监督下的。寄养家庭对孩子一般都还是不错的，他们对受过类似经历的孩子的情绪引导都还是比较有几经验的。孩子们在寄养家庭的期间，DCFS caseworker and CASA child caseworker 每个月至少一次去寄养家庭看望 保证孩子的健康和安全。寄养家庭都是经过筛选的，每个人都经过背景调查，住家环境也是达标的。

Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. We are talking about children in foster care system. Only the judge can decide if the children go back to the biological parents or stay with foster family or can be adopted. The judge will make his decision based on the evidence submitted by DCFS, CASA, and each side lawyers. It’s totally different from normal adoption process.

说的很对，儿子在这个案件中明明是受害者，现在在大家的口中变成了施害者。父母在案件中是施虐方，把孩子列入危险当中，大家还觉得应该把女儿尽快和父母团聚。 从DCFS的角度来看这个不是把女儿往火坑里推吗？所以怎么可能呢？

除了父母完成他们指定的case plan， 还有一个最重要的方面就是法官和听证会(hearings). 听证会的进度直接影响到案子的进展。

I’m going to write down my understanding of the general timeline for foster care cases. I don’t work in the court system so if I make any mistakes, please let me know.

1. Report of abuse or neglect
2. Investigation
3. Removal of the child, or children from home, and placed in a foster home facility or relative placement

 Normally all three steps will happen within the 24 hours, I think. 

Hearings 

First, Continued custody hearing. 

Held within 3 days of the child’s entry into foster care. Court hears evidence of for removal. Court rules as to the continuance of state custody or reunification.

Second, Answer hearing

Held after 30 to 45 days after the first hearing. Parents were answer to the charges listed in the petition. Parents will either deny the charges or stipulate that their child is a child in need of care (admit what they did was wrong).  

During the first 30 days, the first family team meeting will be arranged. (Parents can see the child) 

Third, Adjudication hearing (Full hearing)

Held after 15 to 30 days after the second hearing. 

If the parents didn’t stipulate during the answer hearing, the hearing will judge whether the court deems the child in need of care. ( if the child remains in state custody)

Fourth, Review hearings.

At any time during the case, which is every 4 to 6 months, the judge or DCFS may wish to have the case reviewed in court. It’s up to DCFs or the judge.

Fifth, Permanency hearings (every 12 months)

With your month 12 the court will rule on the permanent plan for the child. The case goal will be evaluate it, and possibly extended or changed. It means during this hearing, the judge will decide if the child goes back to the parents, or should be adopted or parents need more time to work on their case plans. If the case is extended, the child will remain in the foster care. 

没有亲身经历不代表不理解。我只是想问一下，那些家长经历孩子贩毒吸毒，酗酒，卖淫，青少年怀孕，抢劫强奸，酒驾，甚至是杀人，他们的情绪经历也肯定是大起大落的。当父母从来就没有简单过。对孩子的愤怒不是你打人的理由，因为你有没有考虑过孩子对父母的愤怒失望甚至是绝望呢？ 孩子有没有打父母？他们只是单纯用他们的叛逆释放对自己生活的不满。他们不以愤怒作为理由来殴打父母或者是伤害父母， 为什么父母就可以这样对小孩呢？

父母总是非常肯定都是孩子的错，孩子一个人的问题，从来没有反省自己在这个变化过程中起的作用。你的孩子不是你的敌人，不是完人。没有成为你希望的模样，不代表是你作为父母的失败。用激进的手法很有可能带来适得其反的效果。你们也试过这些激进的方法，奏效了嘛？没有的话，尝试着从孩子的角度来考虑，来理解。接受孩子现状也是一个选择。不是你想要的，但是是一个选择。