The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state’s child protection agency. It can investigate anyone accused of child abuse or neglect, including school principals.
If you are a principal and learn that DCF is investigating you, contact the Law Offices of Mark Sherman immediately. Mishandling a DCF investigation can damage your reputation and derail your career. Our attorneys work with Wilton school principals involved in DCF investigations and are skilled at managing and shutting down cases as quickly as possible.
Investigations usually begin when someone makes a report to DCFs anonymous hotline, or when a mandated reporter submits a written report. Mandated reporters include healthcare providers, teachers, social workers, police, and many others.
If a report is made against you, DCF will contact your employer and inform them that they are opening an investigation. Your employer will likely place you on administrative leave as soon as they learn about the investigation. In addition, Connecticut General Statute §17a-101g requires the DCF to notify the Board of Education.
Depending on the nature of the allegations, DCF may also notify the police. This is standard when a principal is accused of sexual misconduct with a minor, but DCF may also contact the police in other instances. In addition to the DCF investigation, a school principal may face a potential job loss and a criminal investigation that can lead to an arrest. Hence, it is critical to engage a skilled attorney in Wilton as soon as possible.
A DCF investigation will likely be conducted by a member of the Education Professional Investigation Unit (EPIU). This team of specially trained social workers investigate allegations made against teachers and principals.
DCF will demand an immediate interview with a Wilton school principal who is under investigation. You have the right to have legal representation present during the interview, and you should decline an interview until you secure the services of an attorney. DCF may not disclose much information about the matter they are investigating, but your legal representative can often determine their focus.
In addition to interviewing you, DCF investigators will speak with your employer, colleagues, parents of your students, and potentially the students themselves. Your legal representative will try to limit the scope of the investigation to minimize the impact on your privacy and reputation.
The EPIU must complete its investigation within 33 days. They can either close the case without findings or conclude that there is sufficient evidence to substantiate a finding against you. In the latter scenario, your name will likely be added to the Central Registry, making it impossible to continue working in a job that involves contact with children.
Closing a DCF case without a substantiation is the best possible result, but the investigation still has implications for your career as a Wilton school principal. A record of the investigation will remain in your employee file and your Board of Education file. In some cases, the Board of Education may take steps to revoke your license.
If the investigator substantiates a finding, they must notify your employer within five business days, and you will be suspended with pay throughout the appeals process. The first step in an appeal is a request for internal review and asking DCF’s legal department to examine the evidence and ensure that it is sufficient to substantiate an allegation. If the internal review does not lead to a reversal of the substantiation and a closing of the case, an experienced defense attorney can request a hearing before a judge.
A DCF investigation can have a devastating impact on every aspect of your life if you are an educator. The attorneys at Mark Sherman Law understand its impact and are ready to help. We vigorously defend and advocate for Wilton school principals in DCF investigations.
Take a look at what hundreds of past clients have said about our team on Avvo and then call us for help in dealing with your individual case.
