People often call on the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) if they are concerned for a child’s safety. Sometimes, their concerns are unfounded and based on wrong or lacking information. While parents can find it overwhelming and stressful to deal with DCFS showing up at their home and investigating claims of abuse or neglect, they still have rights. If you are in a situation like this, speak with an experienced DuPage County, IL family law attorney to understand how to protect yourself.
What Does DCFS Do?
DCFS is a state agency that handles adoption and foster care cases and investigates accusations of neglect or abuse. It has a hotline that is open 24/7 that anyone can call if they want to report concerns about child neglect or abuse. If someone is worried that an adult responsible for taking care of children deprives them of their basic needs or mistreats them in a way that could lead to physical harm, DCFS investigates those suspicions.