馬州原則上對於監護人或是寄養家庭對於被監護人或是被寄養人的處罰有一個詳細的規定,其中有關不能做的部份包括如下
What punishments are not allowed in care?
- Preventing you from sleeping or waking you early in the morning;
- Making you pay a fine except where one has been imposed by the court or where you have damaged property. In these circumstances you can be asked to pay towards the cost of repair from your pocket money;
- Locking you in your room or in the home
- Locking you out of your home
- Smacking or hitting you in any way
- Stopping your food and drink
- Stopping you seeing your parents
- Wearing special clothes as a punishment
如果當事人沒有遵守這個規定,最嚴重的情況是有可能失去對於被監護人的監護權,所以你需要非常小心處理這個問題,以下是一個最壞狀況的 case study,(不代表您會麵對這個問題,但是您最好知道您所麵對的情況如果沒有小心處理會成為的問題)
http://markdaniel.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Get-My-Kids-Back-From-Child-Protective-Services
在這中間最重要的一句話是
"Do what ever your case worker tells you to do and do it quickly"
在此同時,個人會建議您將整個事件發生的原因,您使用體罰的原因以及處理之前您做了什麼(是否口頭警告過,是否是初犯...),處理之後您是否與孩子溝通...用書麵紀錄起來,然後找英文程度好的朋友幫助您改到零缺失,因為這個書麵聲明有可能是您未來需要律師時,律師唯一可以用來還原當時狀況的依據.
