My ex has been denying me access to my child since she was born 10 months ago. During this this she has been arrested and charged with domestic violence. In fact she has been charged with DV 4 times in an approx. 18 month period. Well I get a letter from from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families so I call and eventually get ahold of the social worker who says it wasn't any single event that had them check on my daughter just a welfare check. I'm assuming it has to do with the Domestic violence case. The social worker tells me my ex is doing great and basically she is proud of all her progress. Upon which I informed her that once I'm able to get a proof of service that my ex was served with the contempt paperwork the court will issue a warrant for her arrest. At that point the social worker was shocked. I then continued to inform her of the courts intention of taking my daughter away from my ex once paternity is established. I then told the social worker that if my daughter gets taken away again I want them to establish paternity. Which she said they would. They refused last time. Probably because of the active court case. My problem is what makes CPS think it's wise to return a child to a situation where they know it's extremely likely for a child to be exposed to domestic violence or fall victim of domestic violence instead of establishing paternity? To get back on topic it's the lack of critical thinking skills these social workers have that is beyond me. What father in their right mind would willingly allow their child to remain in that kind of situation. I have currently no idea what to do since the mother is MIA with my child. Nice to know that the state knows where she is. I have lost all faith in the system. I live in Washington state and the fact the state allows you to get away with dv by claiming you have a mental health issue is sick. She went to court on more than 4 separate occasions admitted to doing it, laughed about it, and then claimed to have PTSD a mental condition not associated with violence BTW. In order for someone yo commit violence they have to be predisposed to commuting violence. PTSD doesn't just make you violent all of a sudden. And if it makes her violent then she shouldn't have a child. She gets away with it every time. Cross partner abusers don't just stop and she clearly isn't a reformed person. And I'm completely lost as to what to do.