Child Protective Cases

What to Expect From Child Protective Services

If you get reported to CPS you can expect to get a knock at your door. Different states have different procedures but this is a general guideline of what to expect to go through.
Child Protective Services has an obligation to investigate if they get a report that the children are not immediately safe from abuse or neglect or, that a reasonable or likelihood exists that a child or children are being abused or neglected in the foreseeable future, and that families have or are demonstrating that they cannot control the factors placing the children at risk of abuse and or neglect.

Depending on the severity of the complaint, the reports are taken in order of importance according to their procedures. Usually within 24 hours of the complaint. Your child is likely to get the visit at school or daycare before you are aware of it. They will go in without your knowledge or permission. They will take the child off the school grounds for further interview if necessary. They will ask your child if everything is ok at home, they will take a picture of the child in some cases, they ask if they are being disciplined by being hit. The interview is strictly between the investigator and the child. There will be no school personnel involved.

After the children, the investigator will come to your home, not necessarily the same day, and read the allegations to you. The investigator will ask you to address each allegation and will document what you say. After the interview is done the investigator will ask to see your home. The investigator will ask to see your kitchen, in your refrigerator, pantry, and coverts. They will also ask to see your children’s rooms and living areas. They will record in writing their findings. They will also ask you how you discipline your children and how the family functions as far as chores, day to day operations within the household. They will also do criminal background checks on those who the allegations are made but can also be done on anyone living in the home with the children. The investigator will also ask for medical records to the children, school records, and will verify them as deemed appropriate.

The investigation usually takes up to 30 days and can go longer is needed. You must always present as being cooperative with Child Protective Services for they are acting in the best interest of your children even if the allegations are false.

Depending on the findings the investigator can either, remove the children if they are in immediate danger, offer services for the family like counseling, livable conditions in housing referrals and or help, help with disabled children, and much more. If at all possible, CPS tries to resolve the issues within the family without having to remove the children. Placing the children outside of the natural parents is not only traumatic to the children but costly to the state. Refer to this link if you are in Texas.

Texas Child Protective Services