First of all, we currently have a week-on, week-off custody arrangement, and our divorce and custody case are still in process. I don’t fully understand the legal system or the logic behind how decisions are made here. Honestly, many things do not make sense to me or to the people around me, including my friends and family.
One day, CPS contacted me because my son told his teacher that his father abused him and that he did not want to stay with his dad. The school reported this to CPS, and afterward we had a meeting with a CPS worker (I prefer not to mention her name). The meeting lasted about an hour, and at the end she said, “Nothing serious happened.” I was shocked. What does “nothing serious” mean? Does something have to become extreme, like a child ending up in the ICU or having broken bones, before it is considered serious?
My son told her that his dad drinks, smokes, and parties at home, bringing friends over every weekend — even though the court order clearly states that alcohol and partying are not allowed during the weeks he has custody of the child. Not only did he break court rules, but my child was also hurt, and we had proof. The CPS worker asked me to send police reports, photos, and other evidence, which I did. However, later I received a letter saying the case was closed and that nothing happened. I couldn’t believe it.
If there are police reports of abuse, and a child clearly says he does not want to stay with his father and feels unhappy and unsafe, why is the child still required to return to the same environment? Continuing the week-on, week-off arrangement feels like sending the child back into a harmful situation. If we are truly talking about the “best interest of the child,” then the child’s voice and safety should matter. It is extremely frustrating and heartbreaking to feel like nothing was taken seriously.
In my country, if a child reports abuse, authorities take immediate and strict action to protect the child, regardless of financial status or other factors. What matters most is the child’s well-being. Seeing people act as though nothing happened feels deeply wrong and upsetting to me. If they truly cared and were doing their job properly, they would have sent the case to court, and it should have been resolved long ago.