Dealing With Child Protective Services
**None of these comments are to be considered legal advice. Only licensed attorneys can dispense legal advice. This material is for educational purposes only. You should verify with an attorney any information you read to make sure it agrees with state or federal law.
An incredible source of free legal help can be found at the Christian Law Association Website. If you cannot afford an attorney, they will help at no charge. Consider donating to this unique ministry dedicated to helping Christians whose faith is being challenged by government authorities.
Note: Kentucky residents should exercise extra caution when dealing with CPS (Child Protective Services) agents. Recently enacted state laws give CPS agents greater latitude when investigating child abuse allegations. Check with an attorney familiar with Kentucky statutes.
Few things are as intimidating for parents as a knock on the door by a Depart of Children and Families agent. One week after our daughter's diagnosis of cancer, a mid-afternoon knock on the door put an end to our hope of choosing alternative therapies. A lady from DCF was dispatched by the doctor's charge that "we were refusing medical treatment of a child." It wasn't true, but that didn't matter. A doctor made the charge and that was all they needed. Unfortunately, my wife did not know her rights. The agent did not have a court order, but my wife let her in, giving her the right to go through our drawers, closets and anything else she wanted to see. Once inside, our right to privacy was automatically waived. A judge will not issue a court order based on an anonymous tip or mere suspicion, but in our case, a medical doctor turned us in. We were not refusing medical treatment; we were just looking for a hospital and doctor we were comfortable with.
We spent that night with friends not knowing what might happen. Neighbors told us the next day, someone was banging on our door in the middle of the night, no doubt the agent with police and a court order. Fearing our children would be taken from us, we reluctlantly returned to that same doctor's office and agreed to admit our daughter for chemotherapy.
This is a link parents will find useful if it becomes necessary to deal with child protective services: http://www.massoutrage.com.
♦ Lastly, make note of some Important Contact Numbers.
You are on the Child Proctective Services page.
HOME
Updated February 8, 2010
Note: Kentucky residents should exercise extra caution when dealing with CPS (Child Protective Services) agents. Recently enacted state laws give CPS agents greater latitude when investigating child abuse allegations. Check with an attorney familiar with Kentucky statutes.
Few things are as intimidating for parents as a knock on the door by a Depart of Children and Families agent. One week after our daughter's diagnosis of cancer, a mid-afternoon knock on the door put an end to our hope of choosing alternative therapies. A lady from DCF was dispatched by the doctor's charge that "we were refusing medical treatment of a child." It wasn't true, but that didn't matter. A doctor made the charge and that was all they needed. Unfortunately, my wife did not know her rights. The agent did not have a court order, but my wife let her in, giving her the right to go through our drawers, closets and anything else she wanted to see. Once inside, our right to privacy was automatically waived. A judge will not issue a court order based on an anonymous tip or mere suspicion, but in our case, a medical doctor turned us in. We were not refusing medical treatment; we were just looking for a hospital and doctor we were comfortable with.
We spent that night with friends not knowing what might happen. Neighbors told us the next day, someone was banging on our door in the middle of the night, no doubt the agent with police and a court order. Fearing our children would be taken from us, we reluctlantly returned to that same doctor's office and agreed to admit our daughter for chemotherapy.
This is a link parents will find useful if it becomes necessary to deal with child protective services: http://www.massoutrage.com.
♦ Lastly, make note of some Important Contact Numbers.
You are on the Child Proctective Services page.
HOME
Updated February 8, 2010
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