A surprise visit from DCPP doesn’t mean you’re powerless
It’s the knock on the door that no parent ever wants to hear. A DCPP caseworker is there, demanding to be let in, inspect your home, talk to your children, and require assessments and services right away. They may even threaten to take your child away right then and there if you don’t comply. And you might be scared enough to do whatever they say.
Here’s the key: don’t panic, and get counsel. You have rights, and you can take back control of the situation with the right lawyer on your side.
When is the initial home visit?
Once a call comes in, DCPP will investigate, and that investigation will include a home visit. Exactly how long they take to visit the home depends largely on the nature of the allegations; if they think a child may be in imminent danger, they may show up right away, even late at night or on the weekend.
The initial home visit is almost always unannounced—a caseworker just shows up asking to be let into your home. There’s a reason for that: they want to catch you off guard, so they can get as much information as possible and get you to agree to whatever services or assessments they believe are needed.
What can happen at the initial home visit?
DCPP may take a wide range of steps at the initial visit, including but not limited to:
- Interviewing every member of the household (adults and children).
- Physically inspecting the home for hazards, sufficient food, safe sleeping arrangements, etc.
- Requiring you, as the parent, to agree to various assessments (most commonly substance abuse).
- Demanding to see your child’s school and/or medical records.
- Requiring you to agree to certain services (such as supervision).
DCPP may also “require” you to do certain things before you can even talk to a lawyer. In case it’s not obvious, that is nonsense. They don’t get to decide whether you retain legal counsel. That’s up to you.
What can you do when DCPP shows up at your door?
The first thing to remember is that you don’t have to let them in. Unless the caseworker has a court order saying they can enter your home in hand, you have the right to keep them out. Even if they show up with a police officer, you don’t have to let them in.
If they ask to see your child, bring the child to a window or glass door so the caseworker can see they’re okay. There’s no need to come into the house if the child is not in immediate danger. If they say it’s their policy that they have to come into the home, well, their policy is not your policy.
Tell the caseworker that you have a lawyer or that you’re going to talk to a lawyer. Tell them that your attorney will talk to their attorney, and you’ll schedule the initial home visit for a mutually convenient time.
How an experienced family law attorney can help
We’ve seen over and over again the difference it makes when parents get legal counsel as early as possible in the DCPP process. We will talk to DCPP and their lawyers on your behalf, explain your side of the story, and make sure you aren’t subjected to any assessments or services that aren’t actually needed.
Again, the sooner you get a lawyer, the better; for example, once they’ve done an assessment, it’s much harder to get out of whatever services were recommended by that assessment, even if the assessment wasn’t necessary in the first place.
Getting a lawyer on your side right away can make the difference between a long, difficult investigation and a much shorter process that will hopefully reach a much more favorable result. If you are facing a DCPP investigation, contact Wiliams Law Group, LLC to speak with an experienced attorney today.
"Williams Law Group was highly recommended by another family lawyer whom I highly respect. He referred to Allison Williams as one of the best, if not the best, to fight for my case. His exact words were, "If I were going to hire an attorney to fight DCPP, it would be Allison Williams." Her firm walks their talk and exhibited professionalism and compassion. Every single associate I spoke with was knowledgeable of my case and was on top of all the court dates. They were straight with me about my case, the pros and cons. Dealing with Allison Williams, a professional with the highest of integrity gave me a renewed attitude towards lawyers. I highly recommend her firm." – Stephen, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐