Need More Information from DCF? Hire a DCF Lawyer for Help!
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF) investigates child abuse or neglect by parents and caretakers. When MA DCF starts investigating your family, contact an experienced DCF lawyer. A DCF lawyer will help protect you and your family.
They should save your time, money, job and reputation. Hire an experienced DCF lawyer to get your case closed before DCF takes your child. Having an attorney present during a DCF investigation can be extremely helpful. In order to prevent self incrimination, you should contact an attorney once DCF notifies you that they have opened an investigation.
What Happens When DCF Opens an Investigation?
When DCF begins an investigation, there is usually a knock on your door, a letter, or a surprise phone call to notify you of the report. Depending on how severe the accusations against your family, the DCF is required by law to respond within 2 hours of the accusation. The DCF investigation lawyers and attorneys understand that an investigation can be initiated by a “referral”. The referral is usually made by a mandated reporter.
Who is a Mandated Reporter?
DCF mandated reporters are people who must report child abuse or neglect to DCF. They are police officers, teachers, coaches, therapists or psychiatrists. Massachusetts mandated reporter laws apply to any high school, hospitals, day cares, and youth groups. These organizations will report child abuse or neglect to the Department whenever they have suspicions.
Keep in mind, mandated reporters may confuse signs of abuse with signs of something else. When DCF calls you and tells you a mandated reporter filed a 51A report against you, don’t worry. It does not necessarily mean you are a bad parent. It just means a mandated reporter noticed something possibly concerning in your child.
Can DCF Talk to your Minor Child w/o you there?
Yes. the DCF worker may talk to your child while you are not present for the interview. You may also have a DCF lawyer sit next to your child during the interview. The lawyer may record the interview and stop the interview immediately if the DCF investigator is upsetting the child.
How does a DCF Lawyer Help with the Early Stages of Investigation?
In Massachusetts, when a report is called, a DCF social worker who works out of a DCF area office is assigned to the case. Once the report is called in, there will be a full investigation with the accused family. During the investigation, they will inspect the house, interview the children alone, and contact the child’s school, health care provider, therapist, and neighbor.
Can a DCF Lawyer Help You Get a Copy of Your DCF File?
You can get a copy of your DCF file if you ask the right people. An experienced DCF lawyer will know who to reach out to in order to get your file. Your DCF lawyer may also be able to get other important evidence from DCF regarding your case. That includes witness statements, police reports and interviews that DCF collected during their investigation.
You should get all the records DCF has about you. You have the right to know what DCF has against you and what they are accusing you of. Also, these documents can be helpful in a parallel criminal, divorce, or child custody proceedings.
Should You Sign Any Document w/o a DCF Lawyer Present?
A DCF agent will tell you to sign the DCF safety plan or DCF service agreement. The DCF will end your initial assessment interview by asking you to sign one of those two agreements.
The DCF will not explain the legal consequences of signing one of those two forms. Instead they will tell you the legal consequences of not signing. It is important to have your lawyer present before you sign any document.
What To Do When DCF Comes to Your House?
When DCF shows up to your house unannounced, you do not have to let them in. You can ask them to come back later that day. This will give you a chance to talk to a DCF attorney for some legal advice. Even if the DCF workers may seem sympathetic and dressed casually, do not be fooled.
They are law enforcement officers. They cannot arrest you, but they can go to the police and go to court and try to take your parental rights away. Be polite to them and ask for their business card. You can schedule an appointment with them; it gives you a chance to talk to your top DCF attorney.
Why Does DCF Show Up Unannounced?
After receiving a report, DCF will have one of two responses. They immediately assess the safety of the child and determine if the case requires an emergency response or a non-emergency response. When there is an emergency response, the DCF investigators will show up to your house unannounced. They will show up unannounced because of the short response times required of emergency responses.
How to Appeal FALSE MA DCF Supported Allegations?
The DCF appeal process offers parents a chance to fight supported allegations that DCF made against them. When/if you receive a letter from the DCF about substantiated allegations of moral, physical, or emotional neglect/abuse, you have a short period of time to file an appeal.
You will also get a letter from the DCF saying if whatever findings you found will be in the public DCF central registry. You then have the option to have a DCF Fair Hearing. At the DCF fair hearing, your lawyer can subpoena witnesses, demand medical records and police records.
Will there be a DCF Investigation After a Violent Arrest?
A DCF case can start with a referral from the police. As mandated reporters, police must are report to DCF when a domestic violence dispute arrest happens in front of a child (under 18). The police will call DCF even if the child was not involved in the incident. If a child is present during a domestic violence ], the DCF must assess if they were at any risk of abuse or neglect.
What is a DCF Safety Plan & How can a DCF Lawyer Help?
The safety plan is often the keys to success in closing DCF cases. They let DCF know that you are serious about recovery. The effort to improve your situation will be self-evident to all. Make sure when you write your plans that you include every piece of information necessary to succeed. It could be the difference between getting your children back sooner rather than later, or the closing of your case.
How to Successfully Fight DCF?
The best way to fight and protect your family from a DCF investigation is to hire a DCF lawyer. A DCF lawyer will know how to get DCF to close the case. The best DCF lawyers setup parents with a step-by-step plan to guide them through the DCF process.
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.
