Opinion ID: 1922309
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The MotherL.P.

Text: The evidence in the record indicates that L.P. was the custodial parent when the children were first brought into the neglect system. At that time, L.P. and the children were living in a shelter and she acknowledged in a stipulation of neglect that she was unable, at that time, to care for them. Over the next seven years L.P. failed to take the steps necessary to foster reunification with T.P., Tw.P., and K.P., instead choosing to have several additional children for whom she was unable to provide. Specifically, L.P. refused counseling to address her continuing relationships with abusive men, and wholly failed to: 1) fully participate in parenting classes; 2) regularly visit with her children; 3) keep in contact with her social workers; and 4) establish any permanent housing arrangements suitable for her children. In addition to the testimony regarding L.P.'s inability or unwillingness to address her needs or respondents' needs for stability and continuity of care, there was significant testimony that after visiting with her, the children's behavior and emotional health deteriorated and the children's conduct became a problem in their foster homes and at school. In particular, after visits with their mother, T.P. would curse and Tw.P. would develop a clear pattern of destroying things. By way of contrast, there was evidence presented that after an amount of time passed and the children did not interact with their mother, their behavior would improve and they would become mentally and emotionally stable. Thus, the evidence supports the court's finding that the children are healthier psychologically and emotionally when they do not have contact with [the mother]. Furthermore, there was testimony by several DHS officials that the quality of the mother interaction with the children was poor when she visited with them. Their collective testimony indicates that L.P. did not know how to engage the children, that she would sit and observe them but would not interact with them. There was also testimony that L.P. did not know how to initiate conversations with the children and that her limited interaction with the children was inappropriate and demonstrated a lack of understanding of the special needs of the children. Furthermore, there was evidence that L.P. never attempted to foster a relationship between the respondents and her other children, despite bringing her younger children along on visits. In addition to the evidence regarding the needs of the children, the destructive influences the mother had on the children, and her lack of intimacy with the children, the government introduced unrebutted testimony that the mother was not adequately caring for her younger children who were not, at the time of the hearing, part of the neglect system. According to the testimony of Mr. Thomas, the mother contacted DHS and requested that DHS come and take one of her other children whom she could not control. Eventually this child was placed with his father. On the last visit DHS made to the mother's home, they discovered that three of her children were in the care of the godmother throughout the week and that she only provided care at all times for one of her children.