opinion *

Our Readers Write DYFS Is No Monster

To The Editor: I would like to respond to the many letters in your newspaper regarding the involvement of DYFS ( the state Division of Youth and Family Services) in family lives. I am a foster parent in this county and have taken some time and energy to retrieve information about the number of families DYFS works with and how many parents ac- ' tually have had their children taken out of their home. The number of families under DYFS supervision in 1 January was 357. Included in these families were 702 i children. However, only 57 (eight percent) of these chil- I dren were in foster care. Some of the 57 were living with : relatives, neighbors or friends of the family while DYFS i was working with their parent (s). I ALL THE OTHER children were receiving services in their own homes to prevent breakup of that family or ' harm to the child(ren) living there. Further statistics j reveal that the average caseload of a DYFS worker is 31 families. Clearly, the major emphasis and work of DYFS i is holding families together. ] However, when a dysfunction within a family, damage or danger to the child(ren) within the home, or a combina- i tion of these circumstances is present that threatens the life and well being of a child the division is mandated by state law to protect that child and, if necessary-, remove i the child from the home. This is when I get a call to pro- i vide foster care. * 1 HAVE HEARD ENOUGH about the •monstrous, bullying, intimidating'' social workers. Many foster ; parents are personally hurt when the media casts abouts i about the integrity and genuine concerns of people who work, within the foster care system. t Last year, only about 50 families could be called on to help a child who needed a safe, secure, stable substitute home. With an average of 30 children in care each month, ] that's a lot of 24-hour-a-day demand for care. i People who are capable and willing to deal with the j physical and emotional affects of abuse and neglect and the variety of needs which present themselves in the daily i care of children and adolescents for less than $8 a day i <

deserve some recognition, support and gratitude from the communities they serve. Anyone who believes that troubled families and children • are "not my problem" surely can't see as far as their back pocket. Abuse and neglect often is of a cyclical nature. Unless someone is there to help break the cycle of abuse, to show a child, perhaps for the first time in his life, the caring that is the fabric of a successful family. WE ALL PAY the price of caring for those children: from special education programs, to welfare for teenage motheaftwto building and staffing juvenile detention facilities and runaway shelters, to enlarging prisons, institutions and welfare programs for adults. It is a fact that the majority of men convicted for sexual offenses were themselves sexually assaulted as children. Who among us is safe from the individual who, so filled with rage and believing that "nobody out there ever gives a damn about me" because no one was willing to get involved and protect him from abusive parents, one afterdecides to shoot a gun in a shopping mall, a McDonald's or a church parking lot? Children placed in foster care through the local district office remained in care an average of 7.7 months in 1985, which is 1.3 months less than the average length of time in 1984. This despite tighter economic times and the rise of severe social problems in the children's birth families, particularly sexual abuse. IF DYFS WAS anxious to break up families, as some of your letter writers have suggested, then why„do the social workers work so hard to get those children back to the family of origin in a timely fashion? It might also be important to your readers to know that an independent panel reviews every case of every child who comes into foster care with 45 days of placement. This panel, appointed by the Superior Court Judge of the Courts System, must recommend that the placement be continued or the child is returned to the parents Within another six months, if the child is still in care, another review is held to chart the progress of the reunification plan. Twelve months from the date of the original review (if the child is still in care), the review panel assesses the status of the case plan and again can make recommendations to the judge. PRIOR TO EACH review, the birth parents are notified of their right to have input and to fully participate. Parents may, at anytime their child is in care, request a review of DYFS actions and the case plan. Child abuse is a serious issue, with negative long-range implications which touch us all. If persons are not interested in providing some positive resources, then the least they could do is acknowledge those who are responding and do a little extra research of the fact before they look down their noses at social workers and foster parents. DIANE BECHTOLD Ocean City t £

Court Project Is Necessary ' w " To The Editor: This letter is in response to Joe Zelnik's article which appeared in the May 14 edition under the headlines f " Workload' of Courts in Doubt." As I see it, the article would call into question whether or not the county's expansion and renovation of the court house is really necessary in light of what appears to be statistics which indicate a decline in the number of cases pending in the Superior Court ( Family Division, Law Division (Criminal), Law Division (Civil), Special Civil Part, and Small Claims). As a member of the Cape May County Bar Association, who also served on the Court House Litigation Committee, „ and as an attorney who devotes a substantial portion of his time to litigation, I can tell you that Zelnik's article overlooks one very important aspect of need that was on the minds fof the Bench and Bar when expansion of the court house was being pushed. Cases coming out of the Superior Court are not the only (Page 67 Please » fHwaUiVMffll Joseph R. Zelnik Editor Bonnie Reina General Manager Gary L. Rudy Advertising Director John Dunwoody Special Promotions Director Parrel! Kopp Publisher Smomtrw Corp l«»6 All n^Mi IMr.«l At proporr, r.SV. lor mi cSAMMt o I Hoi *•»-«•• Corp No poo ho.»ot ma, bo 'oprodwud DEADLINES News & Photos Thursday Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. Classified Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. 465-5055 For News or Advertising Information Mail Subscription: Yearly, S40; Six Month, S20 Call 465-5055 For News, Advertising or Subscription Information f VyWr p.«lrtp.a„ rfwiltoo mm iW polill.b.r. «< dm Ht.lt ALII AID LA*T*M* -i.-- r SCAPE MAY oLO ~ rrali-Dispatrti j

Berry's World ■ "To Austria, to Waldheim and to ' RESUME ENHANCEMENT. " Freeholders Realty? To The Editor: I see where the freeholders just purchased the Racquet club near Crest Haven for $750,000 when it could have been purchased on Aug. 6, 1985 for $500,000. This is the second purchase of major property in two weeks by this body. They bought the old Everlon Building at the County Airport for $2 million. I think it is time the freeholders stop and consider the taxpayers of the county. These buildings now will not be taxable, which will take ratable away from the townships where they are located. Also, when we receive our tax bills, more than likely the county tax will increase. It's time to put all major purchases like this up to the voters. That goes for all major bonds, too. Was a public hearing advertised on these two purchases? Next they will name this body "Freeholders Realty Co. ! " This is why we need new blood in the freeholders. Someone to have cons idera t:on for the taxpayers of the county — instead of taxing them to death! ELMER DOYLE Eldora (Ed. note: Doyle is a Democratic candidate for freeholder.)

-Turtle Soup and Early Birds

Call ROT Before You Go

By JOE ZELNIK It is heartwarming to find that so many of you assume I know the answers to everything. This is a pleasant contrast to Danielle 5 3/4. who believes nothing I say. She scoffed the other day when I explained that her feet were getting longer because she eats too much spaghetti. But for those of you who respect my common sense, answers to your questions follow: K.S. of Bidwell Ditch: We opened a hotdog stand here last weekend, but have yet to see a tourist. When does the season start"* " ANSWER: I DATE the start of the season to 10:14 a.m. Sunday. May 18, when I saw my first stranger pick up a dead horseshoe crab by the tail and drag it back into the water. Purists, on the other hand, insist the season started at 1 :02 p.m. Saturday, May 24, when a teen-age girl stepped on the dead crab, screamed, ran out of the water, and vowed never to swim in anything but a pool. Whichever date you choose, if you haven't seen a tourist by now. your location may be a problem. D R. of Palmero: We note that the Wetlands Institute recently sponsored a turtle festival that concluded with mock turtle soup. Can you explain the significance of this? Answer: No. T.B. OF STEELMANTOWN: Why do road projects in Cape May County always seem to take place after the highways are clogged with tourists? Answer: Officials feel that the tourists helped ruin the roads, so they should have to share in the discomfort and inconvenience. P.W of Potato Island: I notice in the movie ads that the 50 price for "early birds" and "matinees" does not apply on rainy days. Does this mean I have to pay full price if it's raining when I leave home, orlf it's raining outside the theater? ANSWER: THAT IS A GOOD question that will soon become moot when a service called ROT (Rain Over Theaters) becomes available. Subscribers will be able to

call and learn whether it is raining over the various theaters in the county (and presumably head for one where it isn't). Watch this space for further information. G.Y. of Bennys Landing: Approaching Stone Harbor on the boulevard, we note there is a 40 mph sign followed onetenth of a mile later by a 15 mph sign followed two-tenths of a mile later by a 30 mph sign followed one blink later by a 15 mph sign. I am wasting a lot of brake lining and gasoline trying to stay within the law What do you advise? Answer: Have you considered Avalon? A.M. of Head of River: In recent weeks. Congressman Hughes was supposed to cut a ribhpn for a new liquor store and Gov Kean was supposed to officiate at openings of a shopping mall and a shorebird preserve. Neither ever showed. How come? Answer: I believe it has something to do with the drinking water. C.U. OF SKEETER ISLAND: There is a roadside eatery just west of the Great Channel Bridge on Stone Harbor Boulevard with a sign, "Pat's Lunc." What's a "Lunc?" Answer: You've heard, of course, of the Big Mac and the Whopper. WeU, a "Lunc" is Pat's acronym for "Lunch Until Next Crisis." It's a special cheesesteak intended to nourish motorists waiting in line while bridge repairs continue. H.L. of Jenkins Point: We are a poor family trying to survive a summer in Cape May County. Any advice? Answer: Never shop on the weekend. E.Z. OF NUMMY : Where's the best place to get your car washed? Answer: I call ahead to Stone Harbor Borough Hall, find out what time they're watering the grass on the Second Avenue traffic islands, and take a couple trips up and down the street in the left-hand lane. J.F of Wildwood: We have opened a restaurant at the shore, expecting to make a couple million bucks in 10 weeks. So far.^we're losing money. Can you help us? Answer: I recommended installing a revolving salad bar with "all you can eat" for $3.95. Then have it go very, very fast.