What Does an “Unsupported Decision” After A Massachusetts DCF Investigation Mean?

When the allegations are given an ‘unsupported’ decision after a Massachusetts DCF investigation, the case stops there. Massachusetts DCF’s official definition of ‘unsupport’ is: ‘to find after an investigation a lack of reasonable cause to believe a report that a child has suffered abuse or neglect inflicted by a caretaker.’ ‘Unsupport’ means the same thing as the phrase ‘Unsubstantiate.’ It’s crucial for parents to understand their parents rights against DCF during such investigations.

What is an Example of an “Unsupported Decision” After a Massachusetts DCF Investigation?

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When the child abuse or neglect allegations were false

If the family does not need Massachusetts DCF’s help to prevent future abuse of the child

When the allegations are against someone who was not a caretaker

Here’s another example:

Case Details:

Allegation: Child accidentally swallowed grandmother’s pills.
Investigation Finding: Pills were allergy medication, not harmful. Grandmother stored them in a locked cabinet.
Child’s Actions: Climbed onto the counter, broke the lock, and took the pills (Easter, excessive candy, hyperactivity).
DCF Decision: Unsupported child neglect allegations.
Reasoning: Grandmother took precautions, kept medication out of reach. No need for DCF intervention.
Outcome: Case closed, DCF ceased involvement with the family.

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False Allegation: Allegation proved false after thorough investigation.
No Need for DCF Intervention: Grandmother’s actions deemed appropriate; DCF concluded no ongoing risk.
Closure: DCF closed the case, illustrating instances where intervention is not warranted.

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.

What Does an “Unsupported Decision” After A MA DCF Investigation Mean?

When the allegations are given an “unsupported” decision after a Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF) investigation, the case stops there. The Department does not stay in the family’s life and offer services to the family.

MA DCF’s official definition of “unsupport” is:

“to find after an investigation a lack of reasonable cause to believe a report that a child has suffered abuse or neglect inflicted by a caretaker. ‘Unsupport’ means the same thing as the…phrase ‘Unsubstantiate.'”

What is an Example of a “Unsupported Decision” After A MA DCF Investigation?

The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF) will “unsupport” allegations of child abuse or neglect in certain cases. These cases include the following:

When the child abuse or neglect allegations were false
If the family does not need MA DCF’s help to prevent future abuse of the child
When the allegations are against someone who was not a caretaker

The following is an example of when MA DCF determined a family did not need the Department’s help in preventing future abuse of the reported child. MA DCF “unsupported” the allegations after the investigation:

MA DCF got a call reporting that a very young child accidentally swallowed some of his grandmother’s pills. The investigator screened in the report as a non-emergency response and began investigating the grandmother for child neglect.

When MA DCF uncovered more facts about the case during their investigation, they found that the pills were actually allergy medication which would not have harmed the child. They also learned that the grandmother had kept the pills in a locked cabinet, above the kitchen counter.

What happened was, the child climbed onto the counter, broke the lock on the cabinet, and took the pills out himself. Because it was Easter Sunday, he had too much candy. The sugar made him hyper.

The Department unsupported child neglect allegations against the grandmother. The MA DCF investigator determined that the grandmother took precautions to prevent the situation by keeping the medication out of reach of the child. MA DCF closed the case and stopped being involved with the family. There was no need for the Department to help the grandmother in being an appropriate caregiver or caretaker.

MA Children and DCF Unsupported Decision

What is an Example of an “Unsupported Decision” After a Massachusetts DCF Investigation?

DISCLAIMER

What Does an “Unsupported Decision” After A MA DCF Investigation Mean?

What is an Example of a “Unsupported Decision” After A MA DCF Investigation?

The following is an example of when MA DCF determined a family did not need the Department’s help in preventing future abuse of the reported child. MA DCF “unsupported” the allegations after the investigation:

Kevin Seaver is a trusted MA DCF Attorney Specializing in DCF Law since 1991.