Legal Question in Family Law in Iowa

Confused Caregiver of my niece

I'm currently the caregiver of my 4 year old niece.she was taken from her mothers care because of neglect.her mom who lives 2 hrs from us is 22 has 4 kids by 4 different men,and has had 4 abortions, she's a dropout and has never had a job,always lived off the state and she's mentally unstable. the 2 children that were resently removed from her had drugs in their systems.Now there telling me that if I don't take her there for visits every week she'll be put in a foster home.I'm married with 3 kids of my own and I'm currently an honor student in college, my husbands income is all we have right now.We were suppose to get FIP for her but they called me yesterday to tell me we wouldn't get it for her this month because her mom's mom, who was the previous caretaker, they were removed from her also, had already recieced the money and probably already spent it. Tomorrow we go to court for her mother's disposition hearing, is there anything I can do to get them to make it so she has to travel here to visit her kids, DHS says we have to go there every week so she can have a two hour visit with her, it all just seems like their catering to her even though she was in the wrong.Is there anything I can do or say to change their minds?


Asked on 4/24/07, 3:42 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Luedeman solo practitioner

Re: Confused Caregiver of my niece

the short answer to your question is there is very little you can do to change DHS' mind about visitation as their focus is on family reunification and the best interest of the child. If biomom is as messed up as you say she'll probably self destruct anyway.

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Answered on 4/24/07, 3:59 pm


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