Do you have to abide by every thing Child Protective Services tells you to do?

Question

Child Protective Services has gotten way out of control in my county. Do I legally have to abide by everything that they tell me even if it is not in the best interest of my children? Child Protective Services have violated my family's rights too many times to count. My children are the victims here.

Answer 1

Remember that the law upholds "hearsay" evidence given to a CPS employee. The burden is on YOU to refute hearsay and lies. If no one believes you and you want to keep your kids, perhaps you need to obey them long enough until they get off your case - until they receive the next "hearsay" complaint against you. Hopefully, that means that children aren't being hurt or neglected in the process.

Better to not say anything to them because there's a foster family on a waiting list waiting to receive your children after they have been removed for whatever you alledgedly did to them....

I used to tell CPS workers that I'm not saying anything without an attorney present. I made a mistake and spoke to a CPS worker and I'm on a confidential database for indicated child neglect for the next 5 years. ---- them!! The reason for the child neglect was that I made a sudden 3-point turn which frightened my niece and nephew who believed that I was trying to kill them. Both of them are now chronically running away from their grandmother's custody but I can't open a day care facility because of this "indicated child neglect" record.

Unless you find a good CPS caseworker (a dime a dozen) who will support you, say nothing to them and obey the rules.

Answer 2

your legal rights depend on which stage you are in with child protective services. for example, are you being investigated, have you been referred to a family preservation unit or have your children been removed from your home. have you been assigned an attorney within your cps case, if so, consult them with your concerns asap. it would be best to abide by the rules until you are sure of all of your rights. defiance can only make things worse for you and your children if you don't have the law on your side.

Answer 3

Normally yes. If you don't, your kids will get taken away and place in foster home. If you are having a problem with a worker, you should call the supervisor at CPS. What have they asked you to do, that you feel has violated your family's rights? If it's beyond something normal, then you should seek a lawyer.

Answer 4

I am going through dss stuff right now as we speak! I do not trust them and the things they are doing are really hurting my children and they are wanting to come home but no matter what i do they will not let them come home! So if you feel that it will harm you or your children in court in anyway DO NOT tell them anything without a lawyer present

Answer 5

Yes, you have to abide by their instructions unless you can, in court, prove that it would or would have endangered your children to have done so. Or you can move to another county.

Unfortunately, the system is flawed in the favor of CPS, when sometimes, they have incompetent workers, just like any other employer.

Answer 6

Yes...otherwise when they begin proceedings against you...you have the burden of proving their methods or orders are not in the best interest of the child which will prove hard to show. Consult an attorney in your area if you have these concerns.

Answer 7

Well, more details are needed to answer your question. The way it sounds, you just do not want to do what they are telling you to do. What is it that you object to? And what country are you in?

Answer 8

That depends on what they are telling you to do and what rights you think you have.