Yup, that's the way it works all right: You are at the mercy of the whim of a case worker.
ya know, once upon a time I attended some meetings back in the late 1980's because Santa Clara County Social Services were pending a grand jury process. There is an attorney over on Taylor and I think the cross street is Elm but right near The Alameda who was or is familiar to these stories. (I'm out of town, so I don't have access to a phone book for the address.) His law office is there. The group was called something like Concerned Parents of ??? And I can't remember the rest.. But from my understanding, if there is a complaint, then the best avenue to take is to have an attorney represent you, your family and if CPS needs to interview, then it to be done at the attorney's office. (that alone intimidates those social workers) I had met a very great CPS worker back then, but she has long retired. She helped me most when my son's elementary school sent my son home from school sick to a former babysitter w/o telling me. I then panicked, not knowing what happened, and where my son was? No one had answers from the school. So, I called her, (I was near breakdown thinking someone took my son, and she got on the 'horn' and gave answers within mins.) The best avenue I took was consulting with that attorney as a single parent back then. Schools do funny things..
Reading this story title brought back memories.... ;o)