Parents who are being investigated by Child Protective Services investigations (CPS) or Administration for Children’s Services investigations (ACS) have fewer rights than individuals who are considered suspects in criminal cases. This is despite the fact that parents investigated by CPS and ACS have much more to lose than individuals charged in criminal cases. Emma Ketteringham, the managing director of the Bronx Family Defenders states: “People say, “take my liberty for I want to keep my children.”
Abuse by CPS and ACS Workers
There have been numerous reports of abuse by CPS and ACS workers. It is estimated on a national basis that nearly 1 out of every 20 children may be subject to some type of investigation either by CPS or ACS. Advocates for parents and children have become alarmed in recent years with regard to the impact of the investigations by CPS and ACS on families.
Child Safety Conferences
Child Safety Conferences can be scheduled by CPS or ACS. The purpose of these conferences is to allegedly work with the parents in a non-adversarial situation to resolve issues which may exist. However, parents who attend these conferences and who bear their souls will often find their names placed on the State Central Registry as a child abuser. The State Central Registry is similar to the registry maintained for sexual abusers. If your name is on that registry it will stay there until the youngest child you allegedly abused is 28 year old. (Under certain circumstances a proceeding can be brought before a judge to intervene and remove your name from the registry.) The State Central Registry will bar an individual if an individual’s name is on it from working with children.
Elliot S. Schlissel, Esq. is an attorney who has been representing clients in being investigated by CPS and ACS for more than 45 years. He is available for a free consultant at 800-344-6431 or e-mailed at Elliot@sdnylaw.com.
