Children’s Services is Coming!

 

Someone placed a call to Children’s Service and made a report about you and your family.  Who?  For what?  Most calls are received by:

1)      Neighbor

2)      Teacher

3)      Medical provider (Doctor, nurse, dentist, counselor)

4)      Relative

5)      Friend

Most calls are made by non-professionals and are anonymous.  But, by the nature of the accusation, you might be able to tell who made the call.  If you think this person is a friend, do not speak to them again.  If it’s a relative, avoid contact.  If it is a professional, look to change schools or providers.

 

First Contact

Depending on the “offense”, the agency may not call before starting an investigation.  The first contact will come in different ways.

1)      Interview the children at school

2)      Come to your home

3)      Ask you to meet them in their office

 

Unless there is a court order, some say a “warrant”, you need not let them in your house or have an in-person “interview”.  This will not stop the worker from speaking to your child at school.  Most schools don’t care what you want, the government comes and they comply. 

 

If the referral is serious enough, (sexual abuse, physical abuse, filthy conditions) the worker may contact the court to obtain a court order to remove the child without an interview with you.  If a caseworker comes to your home with law enforcement, and you are told that you MUST let them in, ask for a copy of the order.  No order?  Then you need not let them in.  They will threaten, at times, to arrest you if you don’t.  RECORD THE ENCOUNTER.  You may need to inform them of the recording.  You can use a smartphone, laptop, or desktop.  Find out the nature of the claim.  If the house is not the issue, then why do they need to come in?  Got nothing to hide?  Well, they have something to find!  If you aren’t recording or at least taking photos, they can, and have, claimed all kinds of ridiculous things (dog feces in homes with no pets, no food because they didn’t look in the right cabinet, no water because the kitchen faucet was broken, a knick-knack was a bong). 

This is only the start of what they call an investigation.  Depending on the state law, the time for completion can range from 30 days, like here in Ohio, to 90 days.  In Ohio, they can get permission to extend the investigation by 15 days. 

 

A Case is Opened

 

There are several ways a case can be opened. 

1)      A voluntary safety plan (used for “helping” the family)

2)      Court-ordered in-home case plan (used for needed services, but not a high risk for abuse/neglect)

3)      The court ordered the removal of the children

 

THE VOLUNTARY PLAN

 

You never want them in your house if you can avoid it.  Now, if there is a problem you are sure there is no other way to get the service.  Agencies can give referrals.  Indeed, they cannot fund services without a case, but they can refer you to resources.  Remember, if you need help, there are many places to get assistance from the agency, like school or your doctor’s office.

 

If you decide to take them up on the plan, remember, that you are inviting them into your home anything for an undetermined amount of time.  In that time, they will find something to advance the case.  They will be monitoring the school, the doctor, the counselors, and your whole life!  If you have to call the police on a disorderly party next door, they will show up at your house.

 

IN-HOUSE CASE PLAN

 

These many times, start as a VOLUNTARY PLAN.  These are court-ordered, but the family is rehabilitated in their home.  You have the drop-ins by the caseworker and he/she makes sure that you are progressing with the plan.  You may have to go to court or meetings at the office every six months or so.  It’s having someone else control your house and parenting.  They will interrupt your children’s education by stopping by the school and pulling them out of class to talk.  They will get reports from your medical providers. 

This will only stop when there is a court order to do so.  These types of plans have no end date and can go on forever.

 

REMOVAL CASE PLAN

 

This is the one that will be the hardest to fight, but yet, there are rules to follow by you and CPS.  The children are removed, with or without a warrant.  Right or wrong, they are no longer with you, and you have little time to act.   This section will take a lot of studies, so from here, we will have another article.