In 2014 CPS took my kids. In 2015 I got them back. Since 2019 I’ve worked inside the system. Here’s why I’m on Reddit.

Eleven years ago, I was the parent on the other side of the caseworker’s clipboard. DV, substance abuse, homelessness — my case had all of it. I worked my case plan, and in 2015 my family reunified.
Since 2019 I’ve worked professionally inside the child welfare system. So I’ve now seen this process from both chairs — the parent terrified at the kitchen table, and the professional who knows how decisions actually get made.

I’m on Reddit because scared parents Google things at 2am, and too much of what they find is either cold bureaucratic language or rage-bait that makes their case worse. There’s a middle path: understand the process, know your rights, document everything, stay steady. That’s what I try to bring to every thread.

I run r/CPSParentSupport, a peer support community for parents navigating the system. If you’re in it right now: it is survivable. I’m proof, and I’m not rare — reunification happens every day to parents who thought they’d lost everything.

Happy to answer questions about the process anytime. (NOT a lawyer — nothing I say is legal advice. Always consult your attorney.)