Yes. Connecticut DCF investigations typically start with a call or written report to the Department of Children & Families Careline. Once DCF accepts a report, it will assign the investigation to a specific investigator, who you can expect to contact you by telephone or even show up at your home within 72 hours.
Typically, DCF will want to do either an in-person or a virtual home visit. The DCF agent will want to interview you, as well as anyone else living in your home. The agent will also want to see where each of your kids sleep in the home. Know that you have a right to an attorney at every stage of the DCF investigation, including during virtual or in-person visits. For more on how a top DCF Investigation attorney can help you, click here.
The DCF agent on your case will likely tell you that DCF needs to speak with each of your child’s providers, including doctors, dentists, and teachers. At your very first meeting, the agent will likely hand you a release and ask you to sign it. That release would give DCF the ability to speak freely with your kids’ providers, including about things that aren’t even related to the current investigation.
Your DCF attorney can help you decide what documents to sign and what documents not to sign. What DCF won’t always tell you is that sometimes you can provide records of your child’s physical or recent doctor’s appointment to DCF yourself, rather than allowing DCF to call your doctor’s office, which can often be intrusive and an invasion of your family’s privacy. Regardless of the specific allegations DCF claims to have against you, an attorney experienced in Department of Children & Families investigations can make sure that your rights are protected and help to limit DCF’s contact with people outside of your family. For more on your rights during a Connecticut DCF investigation, click this link.
When Department of Children & Families workers show up at your door, it’s often uncomfortable and overwhelming. Make sure that – before you speak with DCF – you consult with an attorney well-versed in representing families just like yours. You can check out hundreds of reviews of our team at Avvo.com. Then get in touch today to find out answers to your questions including whether the Connecticut DCF can contact your child’s doctor.
