Episode 30: Advocating Child Safety in Custody Cases: An Interview with Sandy Ross

This is your go-to Podcast, where we help parents navigate the complexities of family life. Hosted by Ali Kessler of Greyson’s Choice, we’ll cover everything from understanding domestic violence to navigating the legal system, finding the right therapists, life hacks, family law, mental health, custody battles, and how to protect children in dangerous situations. Welcome to Grey Minds Think Alike. In this episode, we speak with Sandy Ross, former president of California Protective Parents and Executive Director of Family Court Awareness Month. Sandy brings her extensive expertise in child safety issues in child custody cases, drawing on her work in forensic and child and adolescent psychology. She has played a pivotal role in passing California's Piqui's Law and received numerous accolades, including the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council's Breaking Silent Survivor Activist Award. Sandy shares her personal journey, the challenges within the family court system, and effective advocacy strategies. Join us as we explore the critical issues and impactful efforts to protect children and support survivors. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:04 Sandy Ross: Advocate and Survivor00:57 Billboards and Awareness Campaigns02:59 Personal Journey and Family Court Challenges04:28 Systemic Issues in Family Court09:00 Advice for Protective Parents14:47 The Need for Systemic Change18:56 Cross-System Challenges and Personal Experiences23:47 Personal Struggles and Coping Mechanisms24:47 Support Groups and Peer Support25:40 Involvement with Advocacy Organizations27:55 Piqui's Law: A Personal Mission30:23 The Tragic Story Behind Piqui's Law33:49 Advocacy and Legislative Challenges42:00 Celebrating Advocacy and Future PlansAbout Sandy RossSandy Ross is the President of the California Protective Parents Association and the Executive Director of Family Court Awareness Month, where she works tirelessly to reform the family court system and advocate for child safety in custody cases involving abuse. With a master’s degree in forensic psychology and a graduate certificate in child and adolescent psychology, Sandy has spent more than a decade training professionals and educating the public about dangerous personality traits and systemic failures that endanger children. A survivor and the protective parent of a now-adult child survivor, she played a key role in the passage of Piqui’s Law and was honored with the Breaking Silence Survivor Activist Award for her leadership and courage.Contact:California Protective Parents AssociationFamily Court Awareness MonthAbout Ali Kessler: Ali Kessler is a writer, marketing professional, passionate parent advocate, and founder of Greyson’s Choice, a 501(c)(3) created to raise awareness about the risk of domestic abuse on children. Greyson’s Choice was founded by Ali Kessler in memory of her sweet, vibrant, and fearless 4.5-year-old son, Greyson, who was murdered by his biological father in a murder-suicide during an unsupervised, court-approved visit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2021. This came just hours after her petition for a domestic violence injunction was denied by a Broward County judge, citing that the “petitioner has failed to allege any overt acts by the respondent which would constitute domestic violence under Florida Statute.”Ali’s advocacy efforts culminated in successfully passing Greyson’s Law during the 2023 legislative session. This bill now requires the court to consider threats against ex-partners or spouses when making child visitation and custody determinations in the court, expanding to include the following factors: evidence of domestic violence, whether a parent in the past or currently has reasonable cause to believe that they or a minor child is, or has been in imminent danger of becoming the victim of domestic/sexual violence by the other parent, even if no other legal action has been brought or is currently pending in court.Contact Ali:EmailLinkedInWebsite