How to Fight a DCF Ongoing Services Case in Connecticut

• Connecticut DCF investigates suspected child abuse and neglect reports.
• Families involved in an investigation can expect a long and drawn-out battle with DCF.
• Following an investigation, DCF can stay involved while foisting continued services and counseling on your family.
• Speak to a top DCF defense attorney before meeting with DCF and click here to learn more about defending Westport DCF cases.

Any accepted report of suspected abuse or neglect will result in a DCF investigation into you and your family. Reports can be made by your child’s teacher, doctor, counselor or even family friend. Once a DCF investigation is launched, a DCF caseworker will visit your family weekly to determine if the allegations occurred. DCF can make families jump through hoops during their investigation—requesting extensive counseling or services and that families be at DCF’s beckon call during an investigation.

DCF has 45 days to complete their initial investigation, and to either substantiate that abuse or neglect occurred, or to close their case with no substantiation. Read more about the investigation process here. If DCF substantiates abuse or neglect against a parent, they will often foist services on a family even after the initial 45-day investigation is closed. If a family accepts these services, DCF will continue to visit the home weekly to check on the children.

Parents often fail to realize that they do not have to sign a safety plan or service agreement. DCF will often threaten to take parents to court if the family does not agree to DCF’s proposal. Signing a safety plan or agreement creates a binding legal contract between you and DCF—making it difficult to alter the terms of the agreement down the road. Don’t agree to anything without first consulting an experienced DCF attorney.

DCF can come to your home weekly to check on the welfare of your children. DCF also has the option of filing a Neglect Petition or Order for Temporary Custody of your children in court. While DCF can sometimes take your children from your home if they feel that your child is in imminent danger, parental custody cannot be terminated without order from the court.

We often see families commit to complete ongoing services without realizing how strenuous and time-consuming the services will be, and without knowing that accepting ongoing services means that DCF will continue to monitor your family until they close their case.

Contact a Westport DCF defense attorney as soon as you learn you are being investigated for suspected child abuse or neglect, or if you have already been investigated and are now struggling to get DCF out of your life. The attorneys at Mark Sherman Law have experienced handling continued services and can help you decide what is best for your family – read from hundreds of certified Avvo.com reviews. Contact an attorney today at (203) 569-3599.