How MA DCF Lawyers can Help with MA DCF Accusations of Child Abuse & Neglect

How MA DCF Lawyers can Help with MA DCF Accusations of Child Abuse & Neglect

MA DCF Lawyers can guide you through 51A & 51B Reports, Fair Hearings, and Family Assessments by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF).

DCF cases are different from just about any other type of case out there. That means they require skilled handling. You need someone to guide you through the process. Someone who will tell you how to cooperate with the Department and how to handle the social workers. No parent or child care professional is safe from DCF child abuse or neglect allegations. DCF is probably one of the most powerful and dangerous government agencies–they can completely tear a family apart. They have the authority to remove a child from his or her home whenever they choose. Hiring a DCF attorney can prevent that from happening to you and your children.

Why Must Parents Take the 51A Report Extremely Seriously?

Some cases are less drastic than others, and DCF may not remove every single reported child. But every 51A must still be taken seriously. Why? Well, DCF does not need too much evidence against you to “support” the allegations of a 51A report. They can label you a child abuser or child neglector for minor reasons. But once you have a supported 51A report, it goes on your permanent record. Your name also goes on a “DCF record”. This will show up during a thorough background check.

That means some jobs will refuse to hire you, especially when the job involves working with children. Many professionals can’t afford to have a supported 51A on their record. This includes teachers, foster parents, day care providers, corporate leaders, high-paid professionals, coaches, clergy etc. Depending on the allegations, DCF could take away your job security, wreaking havoc not only on your family but also your bank account.

Many parents who are leaders in their community have their excellent reputations tarnished because of a baseless or exaggerated allegation of abuse or neglect. This type of defamation ruins pleasant communities. But that’s where MA DCF lawyers can step in and help. Hiring an experienced attorney very early on can prevent a 51A from being supported in the first place.

Why Should Parents Be Cautious of DCF Mandated Reporters?

More and more “mandated reporters” are accusing parents of child abuse or neglect nowadays. Mandated reporters are people who work with children professionally. They include teachers, school administrators, guidance counselors, pediatricians, emergency room personnel, nurses, doctors, social workers, therapists, and police officers. Mandated reporters must contact DCF to file a 51A report each and every time they see signs of child abuse or neglect.

Do Mandated Reporters Make False Reports of Abuse/Neglect?

A mandated reporter cannot legally make a false report on purpose. They can face jail time or pay a fine if they do. But they can get into serious trouble if they fail to report child abuse or neglect to DCF. Failing to report can cause them to lose their job or pay thousands of dollars in fines. Because of this, mandated reporters are under a lot of pressure to report to DCF.

And mandated reporters don’t realize how much damage they can do to a family when they report insignificant incidences of child abuse. So, there is a growing concern that mandated reporters “over report” to DCF, or make reports when they don’t need to. For parents, this could mean facing false allegations of abuse or neglect. There are times when a mandated reporter depends on what a child told to them to make a report to DCF.

This could do more harm than good. The problem arises when children lie. There are many reasons a child might say something about their parents. They may have heard it elsewhere, or they may be exaggerating. Other times, mandated reporters influence what the children say by asking them leading questions. They may also misinterpret the child’s statements. Most times, the child is not actually in any abuse or neglect situation at all.

Do Parents Need to Get a DCF Attorney?

Neither you nor your children should ever talk to a DCF social worker during a 51B investigation without a lawyer present. While your social worker may appear pleasant and give every sign that the matter is “not a big deal,” he or she is not your friend and is there to gather sensitive information against you that may support a 51A. As the familiar warning goes, whatever you say to DCF will be used against you. When facing child sexual abuse or child physical abuse allegations, it is possible that you will slip up and say the wrong things, and end up with criminal charges in addition to the DCF allegations of abuse and/or neglect. So you should absolutely not talk to a social worker or a police officer without a lawyer when the allegations are very serious. In any case, DCF may try to uncover sensitive information about you and your family, which you may uncomfortable sharing. Sometimes, DCF is not allowed to ask you certain questions but they do anyway. They do that because you don’t know your rights and you don’t have a lawyer who can object to their questions. It is within your rights to hold on to any personal and sensitive information as you are entitled to privacy. Hire a DCF attorney who can tell you exactly what to do so that DCF gets out of your life, you achieve the outcome you wanted, and the nightmare ends.

What Kind of DCF Attorney Should You Hire?

If you are currently under investigation by the Department of Children and Families (formerly known as the Department of Social Services), consult with an attorney who specializes in DCF cases. You need an attorney who understands DCF law and how they operate. The best MA DCF lawyers will be able to handle the following:

If any of the above applies to you, don’t wait. Protect your children. The sooner you have an attorney representing you in any DCF matter, the sooner you can reverse the damage caused by a 51A and the sooner DCF will be out of your hair. Hiring an attorney can help you quickly go back to feeling more in control of your life. Most importantly, with the proper guidance and advice of an experienced DCF attorney, you can avoid the tragedy of a social worker knocking on your door with a police officer telling you they are taking your child away. In these situations, time is always of the essence.

Kevin Seaver is a trusted Massachusetts DCF lawyer specialized in DCF law since 1991.

DISCLAIMER

You find yourself in this situation, it’s advisable to seek legal representation from a qualified attorney, like those at the Law Office of Kevin Seaver, who can advocate for your rights and guide you through the complex process of a DCF investigation.

Remember that the ultimate goal of DCF is to ensure the safety and well-being of children while supporting families in crisis.

Please note that this article does not create an Attorney-Client relationship between our law firm and the reader and is provided for informational purposes only. Information in this article does not apply to all readers.

Readers should not rely on this information as legal advice and should seek specific counsel from the attorney based on personal circumstances. Thank you.

Kevin Patrick Seaver is a Massachusetts DCF Defense Lawyer who represents parents against false child abuse allegations.

Massachusetts DCF Defense Lawyer Kevin Seaver has been successfully fighting false child abuse allegations since 1991.