Should i let cps into my home
Once they reach a certain age, a child can only be with you so much during the day. Older children go to school, have activities, see friends, and are generally out of the house more often younger children. The CPS caseworker would be interested in learning more about the circumstances involved in the allegation made to them regarding abuse and direct.
In their mind, there is no better place to be picked for their investigation than by coming to your home. However, it would be silly to think that you would have the time or opportunity to ponder all of these thoughts in the time leading up to the CPS caseworker knocking on your front door. Quite the contrary will likely have several thoughts racing through your mind, but it's unlikely that any of them revolve around the subject matter that I have discussed with you already today.
What I would like to do is share with you the purpose of Child Protective Services and how to guide your family through a circumstance involving a CPS case investigation. You may have heard rumors or stories about CPS cases and how they can negatively impact families. I'm not here to tell you that there are no potential negative impacts of a CPS case; I can assure you that every family circumstance is created differently.
It would help if you did not go into the CPS case, assuming that the outcome will be one way or another. Rather, you should do as best you can to consider specific circumstances for your family and then plan accordingly from there. As you will see, there are many downsides to a CPS case for your family, but you do not have to assume that you know the ability to play a positive role within the case once it begins. My recommendation would be for you to consider where your case is then made decisions that are in your family's best interests.
Above all else, I want to encourage you to get much knowledge as possible about the process. CPS cases are fairly formulated in that they follow a certain path and formula set forth by the Department of Family Protective Services. He has certain deadlines that must be met internally and externally with the court system your child is removed from your home.
There is no guarantee that your child will be removed from your home, but this results from CPS's initial investigations. From there, a job is to do whatever you can to see that your child can return to your house quickly and safely.
This is probably the most basic question that a person can ask themselves when confronted with a CPS caseworker on their doorstep. After all, it's a simple question that we ask ourselves all the time when we see anyone approaching our door: do I need to let this person in or even answer the door?
Initially, an obligation for you to speak to or even answer the door when CPS comes knocking. Although the agency has a right under the law to conduct an investigation, you have no such obligation to participate in the investigation at any point.
Some gray area begins to exist; however, when and if Child Protective Services obtains a court order, do either enter your home, remove your child from home, or some combination thereof. At this point, you will need to consider whether or not violating a court order or attempting to interfere with a court order is in anyone's best interests.
For today's blog post, I will be operating under the assumption that no court order is in place at an initial stage of the case, and CPS is merely investigating a report may regarding abuse or neglect of your children. Choosing not to participate in a CPS case or their attempts to investigate a potential incident of abuse or neglect regarding your child may end up hurting you in the long run, however.
For one, it may be that the report of abuse and neglect is unfounded for day's error. CPS caseworker relies upon the information provided by an anonymous Reporter made online or via phone regarding abuse of your neglect.
They probably have very little primary evidence to go off of it is attempting to perform some degree of due diligence by coming to your home.
This means that limited at best. As a result, their investigation into your memory may be fairly short-lived if you can provide that person with credible information; just your home shows that abuse is not occurring.
Defense of Child Protective Services agency workers are usually overworked and stretched in terms of their time. Suppose there is little evidence to go off of in determining whether abuse or neglect has a curd in your home that it is doubtful that the investigation will persist.
Simply put, there are more than enough actual cases of abuse from neglected children to go around that these people will not want to remain in your life any longer than they feel like the evidence demands they must.
So, by denying a CPS caseworker access to your home or even by refusing to speak with the people involved, you may be alone getting their presence in your life. Now, that doesn't mean that you have to open up your home and entire life to CPS the first time they ask. For instance, it may be in your best interest to accept the person's business card, identify yourself correctly and voice that you are willing to participate in the investigation. From that point on, you could direct the caseworker accordingly.
Understand that the CPS caseworker will be in an information-gathering stage of the case. As a result, they will likely want to ask you many questions regarding the reports made to CPS and information about your family in general. However, you do not have to answer any questions that this person asks. On the other hand, you can spend as much time as you would like attempting to gather information yourself. I shut the door, biting my lip to keep my composure as I walked quickly back to my room to get some privacy and recollect.
They offer legal assistance for this exact situation right? Should I call them first or should I call my husband? I chose to call my husband first. In a meeting. He called pretty quickly after that. We will get through this together. Then, being a homeschooling mom, I had to somehow get back to my kids and return the house to some sort of order you know what happens when mom disappears for a while with no indication of returning.
I found a moment alone with my daughter and asked her some questions about camp. I asked her about her counselors and what they talked about. The week before she left for camp, there had been an incident with an upset mom and a disobedient child at four in the morning. Nothing abusive had happened. He knew exactly what to do. I immediately felt relief and comfort. This man knew how to handle the situation and knew how to protect my family. I immediately felt like I had a team and the coach knew exactly how to play the game.
He told me the game plan. You see, that was the worst part of the whole experience. I began questioning everything about myself. I even began to wonder if it would be best for the children if they were taken from me. Thinking back on it, the thoughts all sound absurd now. Thank God THSC offered me the legal assistance I needed, because it took all of my energy and attention just to cope with the spiritual and emotional part of this situation.
My ability and adequacy as a mother had been called into question. But being able to let go of the legal mumbo jumbo and just focus on my family served our family immensely. They freed me to search my heart and make me a better mom. Today, we received notice that I am in fact not guilty of child abuse.
Letting the official into your home waives the protections afforded to you by the Fourth Amendment. Ask to see the physical copy of the warrant, as some CPS workers may lie about having one. In Texas, CPS workers are required to record any interrogation they have of your child, so be sure those tapes are rolling.
You may also benefit from recording the situation on your own tape recorder or cell phone. Remember not to talk too much or give away too much information — anything you say can and will be used against you. Let the CPS worker know that you would like to consult with an attorney before moving forward or speaking further. If CPS enters your home with a warrant, they may be able to remove your children from your home right then and there.
Be prepared with a list of emergency contacts, such as friends and family members, who might be willing to take your children in the meantime.
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