Testimony Before the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare and Committee on Hospitals
Hello, I’m Robbyne Wiley, a Parent Leader at Rise. Rise supports parents to become advocates for change in child welfare. I am a parent who was affected by the child welfare system. From being on that side of the table, I can now support other parents, and train professionals working in the system to understand parents’ perspectives.
I’m here today to support changes … Read More
I met my caseworker Gloria when I went to rehab after I got the case. The first time we met, she explained how she could help me get my kids back if I put forth the effort. It was hard to believe her because she worked for the same people who took the ones I loved. But she let me know that my children belonged with me, that she believed in me and that I … Read More
On August 25, 2015, I experienced a parent’s worst nightmare. I arrived at my daughter’s bus stop to pick her up only to find out she was not on it. It’s a horrible feeling not knowing where your child is. Then one of my daughter’s friends said that she had left school with two adults.
I called the school and learned that the Department for Families and Children of Lexington, Kentucky had taken her. I called … Read More
I started smoking crack in 1980 after I was hit by a drunk driver and became disabled. That was a real trauma for me.
After the accident, I was ashamed of my body. The damage to my hip caused me to walk with a severe limp. I just wanted to hide. Crack helped me do that.
Because of my addiction, my two middle children were placed in the child welfare system for three years. My youngest child … Read More
I first smoked crack on a cold winter day when I was 19. At the time I was feeling desperate. I’d heard that crack would make me feel no pain, and it did. What pulled me in was the tinge, the suspense, the thrill and the numbness.
I’m 30 now, and for the past 11 years I’ve struggled to break my addiction and be a mother to my children. I have four girls—three are … Read More
