精彩對白：I know this is overwhelming, OK? And believe me, I tried to advise them against it. But there are options. You can say no. Because this is a big deal. This is a child. Big commitment.

美國兒童福利保護部 CPS

Child Protective Services (CPS) is the name of a governmental agency in many states of the United States that responds to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered (as opposed to child-centered) practices, such as "Department of Children & Family Services" (DCFS). CPS is also known by the name of "Department of Social Services" (DSS) or simply "Social Services."

Generally speaking, a report must be made when an individual knows or has reasonable cause to believe or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect. These standards guide mandatory reporters in deciding whether to make a report to child protective services.

In addition to defining acts or omissions that constitute child abuse or neglect, several states' statutes provide specific definitions of persons who can get reported to child protective services as perpetrators of abuse or neglect. These are persons who have some relationship or regular responsibility for the child. This generally includes parents, guardians, foster parents, relatives, or legal guardians. Once taken away from home, the goal of CPS is always to reunite the child with their family. In some cases, due to the nature of abuse children are not able to see or converse with the abusers. If parents fail to complete Court Ordered terms and conditions, the children in care may never return home.

Notable lawsuit

In 2010 an ex-foster child was awarded $30 million by jury trial in California (Santa Clara County) for sexual abuse damages that happened to him in foster home from 1995 to 1999. The foster parent, John Jackson, was licensed by state despite the fact that he abused his own wife and son, overdosed on drugs and was arrested for drunken driving.

In 2006, Jackson was convicted in Santa Clara County of nine counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child by force, violence, duress, menace and fear and seven counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. The sex acts he forced the children in his foster care to perform sent him to prison for 220 years.

Later in 2010, Giarretto Institute, the private foster family agency responsible for licensing and monitoring Jackson's foster home and others, also was found to be negligent and liable for 75 percent of the abuse that was inflicted on the victim, and Jackson was liable for the rest. (Source: Wikipedia)

考考你

1. 我們及時趕上了聚會。

2. 這純粹是一種假設的情形。

3. 另一個嫌疑犯已經被拘留。

4. 在這期間，會議在我家舉行。

《我們所知道的生活》精講之一 參考答案

1. Can you read anything into her behaviour?

2. We made a reservation of a table for two.

3. There are caviar, smoked salmon, and other culinary frills.

4. Can you hook me up with someone?

精彩對白：I know this is overwhelming, OK? And believe me, I tried to advise them against it. But there are options. You can say no. Because this is a big deal. This is a child. Big commitment.

（中國日報網英語點津：陳丹妮）

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