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APPENDIX E
Children’s Views and Experiences
OFCO values the opinions of children. OFCO felt that this review would not be complete without providing the children who had been involved in the Wenatchee investigation with an opportunity to speak generally about their views and experiences. Nineteen children were notified about OFCO’s interest in hearing their thoughts. OFCO made clear that the children would not be asked questions about specific events or abuse that may have occurred in their family. Nine children volunteered to meet with an OFCO staff member. OFCO’s questions and children’s statements follow:
Child #1
"I think I was treated pretty good."
"In the beginning I didn’t know what was going on and was asking people and no one gave me the answer ‘til two or three months later."
"Me and all my sisters were clueless and we didn’t know what was going on. First we went to the detective’s office, and then the Department’s office, and then a foster home. During that time they were asking all these questions and we didn’t know what they were talking about."
Child #2
"I don’t feel I’ve been treated great."
"Never heard a lot from the social worker and was not told what was going on."
"When I had to talk to [the detective], he pulled me out of school, he was badgering me and telling me I was lying, and making me cry. He was big and scary and telling me I was lying. It was horrible. A social worker was there and she did nothing. She did comfort me when he was screaming at me."
Child #3
"I think the social workers have been pretty nice and understanding."
"The social workers would let you call them anytime, but sometimes they wouldn’t call you back, you’d have to keep calling."
"The caseworker I have now always keeps me up to date."
Child #4
"I feel they have treated me with respect."
Child #5
"Just fine." "That they made sure I was O.K. and in a home that was safe and everything."
Child #6
"[The detective] asked the same question in different words over and over again. I put one woman in prison because they asked the same question over and over again. I was trying to be smart. They tried it again with another lady I didn’t even know and I just walked out. Some people were there and they sat and listened and they should have stopped it."
Child #7
"They were really there for me."
"I feel I was treated really great."
"Case workers seemed they really care for the kids."
Child #8
"Crappy."
"The social worker would change my words around about everything."
Child #9
"Fine."
"They treat us nice, buying us things."
Child #1
"Yes."
"Overall, fine. Clothes vouchers, I got them pretty quick."
Child #2
"I never really talked to her. My GAL did listen and I talked to him a lot and he seemed to be looking out for what I wanted."
"I had to go to court against my caseworker because she wanted me to live with my dad and that’s not what I wanted."
Child #3
"I’ve had three or four social workers and some have been more responsive than others."
Child #4
"Yes."
Child #5
"Yes."
Child #6
"In ways yes, In ways no, I asked for a home in the country and they gave me that. Different clothing vouchers were denied unfairly, like asking for a suit for church and dances and special occasions."
Child #7
"Yes."
"I got to be treated like a normal kid."
"Some kids can’t spend the night at friend’s houses."
"I am happy where I am and happy for my brothers."
"I get to see my little brothers as much as I want."
Child #8
"No, not at all."
"When my therapist and foster parent said I didn’t need counseling anymore, the social worker made me keep going."
"Didn’t listen to me wanting visits."
"I was treated like I didn’t have a say of my own."
"Me and my brother said nothing happened but they didn’t believe us."
"My brother was placed in foster care even though he said nothing happened."
Child #9
"Yes."
Child #1
"Yes."
"When someone goes into foster care, they should be told why right away."
Child #2
"Yes, I feel cared for and protected."
Child #3
"I think that if kids stories are going to be on the media, I think the kids should be able to know in advance."
"Protecting is pretty good, but caring for them, like clothes money, is not enough. A hundred dollars a year is all we get."
Child #4
"Yes."
Child #5
"Yes."
"If they say something they usually do it and they are kind."
Child #6
"In ways yes, because they got me out of the home but split up my brother and sister and me and don’t let me see my sister as often as I would like to."
"Not enough counselors for victims."
"Social worker doesn’t make quarterlies."
"Social worker not trustworthy to the kids, cause they are never there to talk to them. She is always busy with other kids. She has 25 kids on her list."
"If something really bad happened she wouldn’t be there it’s hard to do things for too many kids."
Child #7
"Yes, because my parents haven’t gotten out yet, but other kids parents are getting out and they are scared."
"My parents can’t get me cause they are still in there and I hope they stay there for their whole sentence."
"People I testified against are getting out and it is quite scary. Others whose parents are out are scared to death just walking down the street."
"They fear their parents jumping out and getting them."
"The state people are letting them get out, attorneys not social workers."
"Social workers have worked with us kids, they have listened."
"[The detective] never tried to put words in my mouth. My mom was always there [when I was interviewed]."
Child #8
"Yes, kept me safe."
Child #9
"Yes. Put them in foster [care]."
Child #1
"If they need clothes, they should get them."
Child #2
"Maybe the social worker could pay more attention and listen."
"They could’ve taped it [the interview] or something, so maybe he [the detective] could feel he [the detective] could get in trouble for doing that [to me] and maybe no one else would have to go through that." (See Question 1, Child #2).
Child #3
"One problem was how we were taken out of the home, we didn’t know why and then were taken to a big office. I’m not saying this to be sexist or anything, but I would have rather had a woman with us, we had to talk to the guys and they were like huge."
"If we could have known more about what was going on, we were there three and a half hours, til 11 at night at least."
"They guy said your brother told us this was happening, now you have to tell us to."
"They didn’t tell me what was happening to my brother or sisters."
"I think I should have been more informed."
"Scared me, I didn’t know if I did something wrong or if something was going to happen to me."
Child #4
"No."
Child #5
"No."
Child #6
"Each kid should have a really nice counselor. One foster home was not supportive of counseling and the caseworker should have gotten the kid a ride to counseling."
Social workers "should have a set limit number of kids. Ten is stretching it."
"More stable caseworker. I have had three. You get used to one and like them, then they get switched to one I don’t know."
Child #7
"Change some of their rules such as not being able to spend nights at friends houses."
"The investigation should have been less publicized. The media ridiculed kids."
"Believe the kids."
"Wish I was called to testify in Seattle because they would have heard another child’s point of view."
"Legal system needs to listen to kids."
"Us kids, our rights, were violated for so many years, they aren’t looking at how the kids were violated. They worry more about parents rights being violated."
"Caseworkers need to return phone calls quicker."
Child #8
"I think the caseworkers should listen more. I felt like she was trying to do everything against me."
"The state should be more careful about who they hire."
"In foster care all I was treated with was love."
"To follow up with what they say they are going to do. I believe they said I could go home earlier then, at the next court hearing, the caseworker changed her mind."
Child #9
"It’s easy to get stuff."
Child #1
"No, I don’t think so."
Child #2
"Nothing"
Child #3
"I’m glad I am more thankful than ever that they took me out, I just think it could be done better."
"I think that the state should pay for us [siblings] to visit together."
"Make it happen that siblings can see each other. My brother, I haven’t seen for three years. I just stopped asking because I never got an answer. I really do miss them and want to see them."
"Ever since it happened our family has been messed up and I still love my siblings and want to see them."
Child #4
"No."
Child #5
"No."
Child #6
"The questioning should be done by state people, not like [the detective] who kept asking the same question over and over again."
"I know there are a lot of innocent people in prison that shouldn’t be. Like my mother, she didn’t do anything. My father, who deserves to be in prison, got [X] years, my mom, I don’t think should be there."
"The police shouldn’t have the children in their home and he was doing the questioning. Come on, there has got to be something wrong with that."
Child #7
"Social workers and counselors saw the pain in our face and knew we were telling the truth."
"Always felt it was my choice to talk or not."
Child #8
"Kids are hurt if they are misled."
Child #9
"No."