The Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) investigates allegations of child abuse or neglect. While their goal is to protect children, these agents frequently disregard parents’ rights, reach conclusions fast, and often accuse parents of actions they did not commit.
You deserve to have someone by your side protecting and advocating for you during this process. Working with a Newtown DCF lawyer will allow you the best opportunity to avoid having the allegations against you substantiated. Instead of resolving these issues alone, let a compassionate attorney from Mark Sherman Law fight for your rights.
When a DCF complaint has is reported DCF first determines if a report meets Connecticut’s statutory criteria for child abuse or neglect. If the report meets the criteria for abuse or neglect, the report is forwarded to DCF agents for further investigation. Once appointed, DCF agents must investigate any report of potential child abuse and, or neglect. An investigation can be cursory if the information seems fraudulent or inaccurate, but agents can quickly escalate it if serious issues arise.
Individuals have the right to make an anonymous report of child abuse or neglect in Connecticut. The state’s tip line is open to the public, including family members or neighbors, and they can provide information about abuse without being identified. Unfortunately, this creates a situation where someone with a grudge can make false allegations.
The state also requires individuals in certain professions—known as mandated reporters—to provide any information they have regarding suspected child abuse, including:
Failure to notify the state of these incidents has legal consequences for mandated reporters. If you are accused of child abuse, a knowledgeable DCF lawyer in Newtown can help you when a report is filed against you.
When DCF initiates an investigation, agents immediately contact the family without prior warning. Oftentimes, the initial contact happens when DCF shows up to your home unannounced. This can be stressful and intimidating for parents since most do not anticipate state investigators to visit their homes and ask to speak with them, their children, sign documents or ask to review medical records.
Having the support of legal counsel throughout this process can be invaluable. Agents are often aggressive and pushy, even in cases with little evidence of abuse or neglect. At the end of their investigation, the investigating agents can either dismiss the case or decide that the evidence gathered supports a substantiation of abuse, neglect or both.
If a DCF investigator unexpectedly arrives at your home, the good news is that you have the right to reschedule and ask for time to speak to a Newtown DCF attorney before talking to them. You will not face any negative consequences for waiting to speak to a lawyer.
A substantiated report means the investigators have concluded that they have enough evidence to support a belief that abuse, neglect or both have occurred. Furthermore, if DCF is concerned about the immediate safety of a child, it can seek a court order to place the child in foster care. In extreme circumstances, it is possible for DCF to immediately remove a child from their home for a short period of time without a judge’s order.
If DCF substantiates following an investigation, there is an opportunity to appeal the substantiation. If you submit an appeal, DCF will conduct an internal review and potentially have a hearing officer examine the evidence. If the findings are not reversed after an internal review. you also have the right to challenge the finding and to request a hearing to do so. You also have the right to seek the help and assistance of a DCF lawyer practicing in Newtown.
If you have been accused of abusing or neglecting a child, the consequences can be severe. You could potentially lose custody of your children and even face criminal charges. Discuss your options with a Newtown DCF lawyer to maximize your chances of success. Call Mark Sherman Law today to schedule a consultation and read some of the 300+ certified reviews from satisfied past clients on our Avvo.com profile by clicking here.
