Child Protective Services (“CPS”) or the Association for Child Services (“ACS”) is not on your side. CPS and ACS Investigator’s jobs involve protecting children from their family members. They’ll come to your house in the evening. They’ll knock on your door. They’ll be polite. They’ll convince you the only reason they’re there is that there have been some allegations either you or a family member may have been involved in child abuse, child neglect or child misconduct.
They will tell you they’re just there to ask a few questions, fill out some paperwork and put this case to bed and that there is usually no action to be taken. If CPS or ACS truly believed there was no problem and this was a Mickey Mouse made-up story, would they’ve actually come to your house in the first place? Be advised CPS and ACS’s job is to protect children and in the large majority of cases when they investigate, they are protecting children from other family members, parents, or other loved ones.
Subject Of The CPS Or ACS Investigation
The purpose of all CPS and ACS investigations is not to confirm your innocence or guilt. The purpose of the investigation is to find grounds to continue the investigation against you and prove that there has been some misconduct involving children.
Dealing With CPS Or ACS Investigators
You should be polite and friendly when the ACS or CPS investigator comes to your door. But it is important the minute you have any concerns, discontinue the interview and tell them you’ll get back to them once you discuss this situation with your attorney. If they tell you that you have no right to an attorney during the course of the
investigation, they are lying to you and you should be concerned about the real purpose of the interview. This is exactly the right time to consult with an experienced CPS and ACS defense attorney.
Elliot S. Schlissel, Esq. has been representing clients who have been investigated by CPS or ACS for more than 45 years. He can be reached at 800-344-6431 or emailed at elliot@sdnylaw.com.
