Starting fresh, in the middle of it all

At the last court hearing, we got a new caseworker.  We knew ahead of time she was leaving for another job. Not too surprising, burnout, etc etc.

But then I found out three other members of the team also changed.  I found out from Aaron and Allie’s parents, after the hearing.  Pretty much everyone but the judge is new.  I’m still trying to find out if something weird happened, or if it is just a weird fluke.  And why didn’t anyone TELL US.

Not that I had anything positive to say about the CASA.  He never contacted me in the 10 months we had the kids.  And I didn’t have any interaction with the DJO, so no comments there.

In the meanwhile, I can’t help but wonder how that might change the direction of this case.  The old caseworker certainly didn’t have much hope in the parents.  I have no read yet on this new worker, but I think what I need to do is figure out my own feelings first.

In the beginning, I just went on what old caseworker said.  She said the case was heading to TPR eventually, so I believed her.  After all, there had been 2+ years of history that I had not been party to.

But now, almost a year into it for us, federal guidelines be darned, I just don’t think it makes any sense to tear this family apart.  The parents need work, and it’s taken a RIDICULOUSLY long time for them to get it somewhat going, but in that time, they’ve maintained their bond with their kids.  Aaron and Allie long for their parents and their home.

So we’ll see.  The court is still working on reunifying one of the siblings.  That’s the only official line so far, and so it doesn’t even make sense to conjecture whether it will work, and whether Aaron and Allie will be included in any reunification.  (Although I’m giving better than even odds they’ll still be with us next Christmas.  I may not know where they’ll end up, but I do know it will take a bureaucra-ternity to implement.)

I will continue to hope for what’s best.