I get calls from time to time about foster parent appeals. The first question is usually: Do foster parents in Connecticut have any recourse when a child in removed by DCF? The answer is yes – but keep reading……. Except in the case of an emergency, DCF is required to notify a foster parent, in […]
An open adoption provides for some form of ongoing contact between a child and his/her biological parents after an adoption has been granted by the Probate Court or Juvenile Court. In Connecticut, open adoption agreements may be governed by Connecticut General Statutes Section 17a-112 or may be based on strict contract principles – referred to […]
There are six grounds to terminate parental rights in Connecticut. The three most common are: 1. Abandonment. This occurs when a parent has abandoned the child by failing to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare of their child. 2. Failure to rehabilitate. Rehabilitation refers to whether or not […]
I imagine that there is nothing more unsettling than being investigated for child abuse. This is especially true if the DCF Social Worker presumes a parent is guilty from the jump. The whole Investigation can be skewed and tainted as DCF searches for any evidence to support the claim while dismissing or disregarding exculpatory evidence. […]
When DCF files a Neglect Petition in Juvenile Court they can also request an Order of Temporary Custody (OTC). Here is a snapshot of the OTC process: 1. Ex parte. DCF presents a judge with Affidavits from social workers, pediatricians and others who have information as to why the OTC should be granted. The parents […]
Have you been served with a DCF 96 Hour Hold? Connecticut DCF can uses this procedure to remove a child from his or her home without an Order from a judge. DCF invokes this authority when: There is probable cause to believe that the child is in imminent risk of physical harm from his or […]
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