HOW MA DCF LAWYERS CAN HELP PARENTS IN MA DCF INVESTIGATIONS

HOW MA DCF LAWYERS CAN HELP PARENTS IN MA DCF INVESTIGATIONS

Hiring a MA DCF lawyer experienced with investigations by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF) will improve your chances of winning your DCF case. A MA DCF investigation can be an extremely frightening and confusing experience for you and your children.

DCF can be overwhelming and unpredictable for parents. However, it is important to fight through the struggles to get your MA DCF case closed quickly without having your children taken.

Being represented by an attorney who is familiar with Massachusetts law can restore your sanity and end your restless nights filled with nightmares of losing your children. The right lawyer will get DCF out of your life quickly without you losing your child to foster care.

What Happens During the DCF Investigation?

 A DCF investigation (a.k.a. “51B investigation”) begins when MA DCF thinks a parent or caretaker is abusing or neglecting their child. They first get a call from a reporter who called DCF because they suspected child abuse, including sexual and physical abuse, or child neglect. If DCF decides to screen in the report, a DCF social worker will be assigned to your case.  Emergency investigations must begin within two (2) hours of the initial report.

An emergency investigation should end within five (5) working days, not including weekends or holidays. Non emergency investigations must begin within two (2) working days, not including weekends or holidays, of the initial report. A non emergency investigation should end within fifteen (15) working days, not including weekends or holidays.

For every DCF investigation in MA, the social worker must do a home visit, interview the children in the family, and interview the adults in the family. The social worker should also interview relevant collaterals during the investigation. Collaterals would include your child’s teachers, pediatricians, and guidance counselors. Be sure to give your social worker a list of the names and phone numbers for everyone who can vouch for you so that they can get the right information for their investigation.

If the social worker investigating you finds there is a reasonable cause to believe that you abused or neglected your child, DCF will support the allegations. When the parent wants to reverse this decision, they can appeal it through a MA DCF Fair Hearing.

How Can Parents Request a DCF Fair Hearing in Massachusetts?

DCF will send a letter notifying the parent or guardian that they have 30 days to request a Fair Hearing so they can appeal the decision adverse against them. Parents should hold on to the envelope with the date postmarked on it when they get that letter. The envelope indicates exactly when the letter was received.

To request for a Fair Hearing, you must file it within 30 days of the date marked on that letter. When you have prepared your request for a Fair Hearing, you can send it via email, phone, fax, or U.S. snail mail:

EMAIL: [email protected]

PHONE: (617) 748-2030

FAX: (617) 748-2062

MAIL: Send your request for an appeal to the DCF Fair Hearing Office at 600 Washington Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02111. You can also send your request to the DCF area office where the allegations against you were filed just to make sure DCF received your request.

Should you Hire a MA DCF Lawyer for your 51B Investigation?

Hiring an experienced lawyer to successfully fight DCF in MA and support you throughout this painful process will only help you. Hiring a lawyer who protects parents’ rights against DCF in Massachusetts can help lessen the charges against you. You will face criminal charges when the allegations against you are child sexual abuse or serious child physical abuse. When you hire a lawyer, you can get rid of the criminal charges as well as DCF’s charges.

In one DCF case, a dad took pictures of his naked son and posted it on Facebook as a joke. DCF did not think it was so funny; they filed allegations of sexual abuse against her. The Department sent the case to the District Attorney’s office, which led to criminal charges against mom. The District Attorney did not find enough evidence to accuse the parent of child sexual abuse, so the dad ended up being free from the criminal charges. Unfortunately, DCF supported the allegations against dad regardless.

What is the Role of MA DCF Lawyers?

The role of a MA DCF lawyer is to be a guide for parents and caretakers during their DCF case. When you hire an attorney who is experienced in DCF law, they will help you with a step-by-step plan for you and your child to follow. Your lawyer should set you up with a plan specifically designed for your family’s unique situation. This will prevent you from feeling blindsided by anything DCF does during their investigation.

The role of a MA DCF lawyer is also to protect your sensitive information, and explain what your legal rights are. The best MA DCF lawyers are present every time DCF visits your home or asks you a question.

Parents experience many sleepless nights because of worrying about DCF taking their children away. Do not let a potential happy ending become a disaster. Hire an effective lawyer to successfully fight DCF and win.

How Do You Know MA DCF Lawyers Are Effective?

Communication between you and your lawyer will be key. The client and the lawyer must work together to achieve their common goal. Some parents worry that hiring an attorney will affect their privacy. For your security, all discussions between you and your lawyer will be confidential.

A lawyer can protect you and your family’s rights during the following stages of the MA DCF investigation:

• 51B Investigation
• Fair Hearing
• DCF Assessment
• Action Plan (formerly known as a service plan)
• 72 Hour Hearing
• Criminal Charges
• Child Custody Hearings

The aftermath of a MA DCF investigation can be devastating for families. DCF can definitely remove your children from your custody, and take them out of your home. DCF may also terminate your parental rights, and you may lose visitation with your children.

You may even face jail time due to criminal charges. Overall, your rights are in jeopardy and your reputation will be harmed. Hiring a lawyer for your DCF case will help you return to sleeping without anxiety.

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

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.