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Saturday, July 27, 2013

I need blogspot, more than blogspot needs me

I usually blog for therapy.  Some of the things that I see and hear are just too much for anyone to believe, so I blog.  Not only to share my story, but also just to help me process my day. 

In general this week has been kinda quiet.  Quiet is obviously open for interpretation.  Compared to Timmy's story, quiet.

Speaking of Timmy.  We have seen him numerous times this week.  He continue to looks better.  Still a bit quiet, but he is smiling and into everything.  His therapist is back at the school and can hopefully get him to open up a bit about some of things that have happened.  The social workers are trying to get him placed "officially" placed with the teacher that he is now staying with.  The mom still doesn't object, but would really like him to stay in Ocean View.  I call the detectives weekly to see what's happening with the case and I only get, "be patient, we have other cases."  This will be a long slow road. 

We continue to hear and feel the need for a safe house.  The problem is there is such a need that one will fill up so fast that you won't even know it.  There is a need for boys and girls like Timmy.  There is a need for abused women.  Just this week we had a lady escape from her abusive boyfriend of 10+ years.  When I say escape, I mean escape.  She had a small window, gathered what she could and made a run for it.  Problem is there was nowhere for her to go.  There is a need for young abused girls, in another case that has been going on for weeks, a young high school girl tried to commit suicide.  She was brought to us and discovered that she was being raped by a family member.  She was placed with a teacher and the family found out where.  They gave her so much grief she could no longer keep the young girl.  We were told by social services to back off because they had it under control.  On a visit to the school this week, we were told she had tried suicide again and she was in hospital.  They didn't have it under control.  What they have is a girl who needs a safe house. 

I will begin starting to research this more and try to come up with a plan that I can pass a long. 

I received a list from the High School this week of about 20+ names of children that started school at the beginning of the year, but didn't come back after the mid year holidays.  One young lady was 14 and had a premature baby at 7 months.  Due to complications the baby died at one month.  Fourteen year old has baby and loses baby.  Drops out of school and has never talked with anyone about what happened.  We found her by "accident" trying to round up students to go back to school.  She says she doesn't want to talk about it, but hopefully in the coming weeks we can connect her with a trauma counselor.  She has agreed to let us come back.  That was the second girl on our list with a baby.  We also found two young men, who want to be in school, but were expelled because of grades or behavior problems.  Now they have to sit and wait for 6 months until they can go back.  What are the percentages that in 6 months they will still want to go back?  Very low.  Trying to come up with a way to stay in touch with them on a weekly basis. 

We also met with the therapist at the LSEN school where Timmy goes.  We also got a list from her of about 15 kids that are in situations similar to Timmy's.  Some very bad and some not so bad.  We have been asked by social services and the school to follow up with the list to see whats happening in each of the cases.  I will blog more about ease case as we discover what's going on, but my suspicion is we will find another list of candidates for a safe house. 

That's it for my Saturday Therapy session today.  Will keep you posted. 
Next blog.......Visas :(

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