What Does Parens Patriae Mean?

What does parens patriae mean?

Basically it is that as a protector, the parent is the country. When the "Parent" can't care for or is a danger to the child, the country has the authority and duty to step in and care for the child. Illinois has the Department of Children and Family Services. It's charge is to ensure the wellbeing of the child. It's hope is for family reunification. But, it's not a positive statistic if you reunited x% of unvolved families but, y% of their children died.

What do you think should be done with Marie and her kids?

This process was cruel to the children and Marie. It would have easy to tell, almost right away that she didn't have either the coping skills or intellectual ability and that she had a mental illness. Sobriety or not, she should have been told, and her children, that the rights would be terminated. That seemed to be a waste of time, resources and emotion.

What about her unborn child?

I would think that you could have some sort of "Order of protection", some order not the leave the state and an order requiring that she check in face to face 1 or 2 times a week,. And, if she didn't come in, she would have a warrant issued. She should be required to have random urine screens twice a week and if any were positive she would be taken from there to an inpatient treatment program.

What do you think the fact that Marie is pregnant again says about her?

She can start over and no one will be in her business. She won't be able to keep her house. The family won't pay if her kids aren't coming back. If she goes out of state she gets to state over with new food stamps, aid, subsidized housing and no agency will be involved with her.

At least for a few months, unless the baby tests positive when it is born.

What is more true?

B is more true. As I previously said, being a parent isn't a right. Keeping your child, if there is neglect, abuse or sexual abuse is not a right. Parens Patriae is the basis for our laws and agencies. If you decide in some way related to the above that you will not provide for your children - you don't deserve to have them. And, they deserve to have a life with a better chance for safety and support and caring.

The distinction later in Johnson's career

It's nice to come out of school and think that because you know all the new theories you are going to be able to do things in the real world , in all cases, the way your favorite teacher said "Current theory" shows "x" is best or the way she/he says they would do it because of their experience. And, she thought she could theory her way out of terminating a parent's rights. The thing that she came to understand is, is that they "gave" their rights away. You can't use any theory to unbrain damage a child from alcohol, cocaine, heroin, pcp or marijuana exposure in vitro. You theory your way out of the mother having a mental illness, probably