Same situation

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Same situation
By Barb

Hi Concerned,

I am going through the same thing with one of my students right now. To top off the same issues that you have, my student's mother is in very poor health so she is tossed back and forth between mom and grandma,
whose health is also very poor. We have Community Mental Health involved with the family and they have provided help through respite care and chore providers. We have talked about calling CPS, but have run into a brick wall with any attempts to have her put in foster care. Their rationale is that as long as she has a roof over her head and is clothed and fed, she's better off with

the family. If there's real abuse going on, that's another story, but unless neglect gets to teh point of not being fed, and having a home, they often don't interfere.

We try to be very involved with teh family and offer whatever help we can. There are times when we do bathe the student if she gets too dirty and/or smelly. but you also have to be careful and make sure that its ok with the parent as sometines they would become offended or not want you with their child in that way (showering, etc).

Good luck.
Barb