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What’s New at Lifting the Veil
Updated February 15, 2017.
Recent Updates
Listing of recent articles, blog entries, uploaded documents, journal listings, and more. Updated daily.
A Critical Look at the Foster Care System
How great is the need for foster care? How safe are the services provided? What are the trends for the future of these children?
A Critical Look at the Child Welfare System
Investigative techniques, assessment tools, caseworker turnover, reunification plans, falsification of records, caseworker training, and other issues are explored.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Shaken Baby Syndrome: Where are we Today?
A review of the recent literature concerning the contested diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, and abusive head trauma.
Added February 26, 2015
How One Hospital Lost Two of its Best Neurologists
In 2007, the American Medical Association conducted an investigation of medical peer reviews, finding that 15% of the surveyed physicians were aware of peer review misuse or abuse. In July 2013, the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association jointly filed a legal brief in the California Supreme Court noting that there is a “continuing great need to have whistleblower protections for medical staff physicians who face adverse peer review decisions.” Critics charge that the review process is a “sham” that is often used to eliminate whistleblowers, while those physicians who may pose a genuine threat often seem to go unnoticed.
Added August 14, 2014.
Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry
The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry held its first public hearing on Monday, January 13, 2014, marking the fourth public session of the Inquiry into abuse in residential institutions in Northern Ireland. The Inquiry is examining allegations of child abuse in children’s homes and other residential institutions spanning the period of 1922 to 1995.
Added January 16, 2014.
Zero Tolerance Programs
Zero tolerance programs in the public schools have often been criticized for being overly harsh and punitive in nature. Critics contend that these policies are often administered in an arbitrary manner. An emerging body of literature indicates that this policy is wholly without empirically-validated support, and that scientific reviews have found no evidence whatsoever that zero tolerance prevents school violence.
Added January 11, 2014
Australian Inquiries Continue Review Of Long-Term Abuses In Institutional Foster Care
An in-depth look into abuse in institutional foster care, with a particular emphasis on recent developments in Australia, Ireland, and Canada. Also examined are the related issues of forced adoptions, the over-representation of minority populations in foster care, and other issues universally related to child protection. Related resources are clearly presented alongside the article for further exploration.
Added January 2, 2014.
PUBLISHED WRITINGS
A Reply to Andrew Vachss’ “A Hard Look at How We Treat Children”
Rick Thoma replies to Andrew Vachss’ March 29, 1998, article in Parade Magazine. This article appeared in the Summer 1998 edition of Vindicator, the journal of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
If You Lived Here, You’d be Home Now: The Business of Foster Care.
Article published in the January 1999 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Issues in Child Abuse Accusations.
Several of the articles that appear on Lifting the Veil have also been published in a variety of formats, such as newsletters, as well as having been incorporated as teaching and training curricula.
RESEARCH DATABASES
Grand Jury and Related Reports – California
This section is currently being worked on as part of the addition of well over 1,000 new entries to the local databases.
Journal Articles Database
A collection of journal articles, a majority of which are peer-reviewed. Topics include foster care, outcomes, emancipation, child abuse reporting, risk assessment, investigations, and more. The database is powered by Delicious bookmarks.
Child Welfare in the News
News articles concerning child welfare, foster care, adoption, and related issues.
U.S. Supreme Court Caselaw
A comprehensive collection of Supreme Court cases dealing with the issues of parental rights, liberties and obligations.
Foster Care and Child Welfare Related Testimony
A growing database of Congressional and other testimony by child advocates and industry leaders.
Studies, Surveys and Audits
A continuously updated database of reports on Foster Care, Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Family Preservation and more. Included are studies, surveys, performance audits, and grand jury reports.