Members of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren – Jamie Farlow, Carollyn Smith and Margaret Curtis — engaged in a protest this week at the Department of Human Services office on Vancouver Avenue.
Smith, the group's founder, accuses the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Department of improperly separately families and merely paying lip service to their mandate to give custody to willing relatives. Smith lost a legal battle to gain permanent custody of two of her grandchildren despite the fact that she has permanent custody of the other five brothers and sisters.
Farlow and Curtis are also fighting the agency for custody of children and grandchildren.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren also petitioned a representative of state Rep. Chip Shields at Reflections Café on Wednesday to discuss the issue of Child Welfare reform.
The group will holding a gathering for all people who have been involved in the Child Welfare system to voice their grievances at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on April 13 at Calvary Christian Center, 126 NE Alberta St.
The group meets regularly from 9 to 11 a.m. every last Friday of the month at Calvary Christian.
