This post is based on an article entitled When Should a Child be Taken From his Parents? The article was published in the August 7 and 14, 2017 edition of The New Yorker. The author is Larissa MacFarquhar.
This article is the best I’ve ever read about the process involved in child custody determinations. MacFarquhar does a great job telling the story of Mercedes (a young black mother). What sets this article apart, though, is the way MacFarquhar explains the process involved in custody determinations, gives advice to both parents and social workers, and shares thoughts from the judge and lawyers.
Some of the things in this article will make you think. Others will make you angry. Sometimes, you will be sad. If you’re at all like me, you’ll have a greater understanding of the flaws in our child protective service apparatus. You’ll also spend time thinking about the cultural and societal aspects of this story.
If you like a compelling story, you want to learn, you aren’t afraid of reality, and you like to see how other people live, this story is for you. Hopefully, it will encourage more people to accept the idea that child protective services needs a lot of improvement and a lot more money.