What Does Child Protective Services Do in Texas?
Child Protective Services (CPS) in Texas investigates cases of suspected child abuse or neglect. CPS investigations are initiated when someone reports concerns about a child's safety or well-being to the agency.
While there are many reasons why a parent might be subject to a CPS investigation in Texas, some of the most common include:
- Physical abuse: This type of abuse involves the intentional use of physical force that results in physical pain, injury, or impairment. Common examples of physical abuse include hitting, punching, slapping, shaking, or any other form of physical violence that causes harm to the child.
- Neglect: This occurs when a parent or guardian fails to provide proper supervision, shelter, food, clothing, or medical care to a child. Neglect can also include emotional neglect, such as failing to provide love, support, and nurturing.
- Substance abuse: Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol may be subject to a CPS investigation if their substance abuse puts their child at risk of harm or neglect. CPS may also intervene if the child has been exposed to drugs or alcohol in the home.
- Domestic violence: If a child witnesses or is a victim of family violence, CPS may become involved. This can include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse between parents or other household members.
- Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse involves any sexual activity with a minor, including penetration, touching, or exposing a child to sexually explicit materials.
How a CPS Investigation Works
In the case that someone has made a complaint about your parenting, accusing you of abusing or neglecting your children, CPS will register a report and start an investigation. This usually involves a report not only for their own bureau, but a report for the police as well. Within 24 hours after the report has been filed, CPS will start an investigation.
This investigation will usually involve interviews with the defendant, the parents, other family or household members, and of course the child. The caseworker will often request to medically or psychologically examine your child, in order to find whether neglect or abuse takes place. Finally, after 24 more hours, you will be allowed to explain the circumstances from your point of view.
Guidance from Experienced CPS Attorney Near Me
It is crucial that you do not simply turn to any lawyer to help you during this most overwhelming time in your life. While any attorney will do their best to aid you in your case, general lawyers often simply do not know the way that Child Protective Services work, and the loopholes or mistakes which often appear when the investigation is analyzed more carefully.
You can count on our knowledgeable CPS attorneys in Austin to:
- Aggressively defend you against accusations that are being made of ignorance, neglect, or even abuse
- Complete necessary forms and fulfill any complex administrative steps in a timely manner
- Work directly with CPS workers to halt them from removing your children from your home
- Aggressively work to immediately take your children out of foster care if they have been forced into the system
- Affectively convince the court of your capability as a parent so that you can keep custody of your children
- Support you and your family in getting access to helpful resources in the community
- Resolve your case and reunite your family as speedily as possible
Dedicated Advocacy for Your Parental Rights
It is important to act as quickly as you can the moment you know that a CPS investigation will be taking place. This is because Child Protective Services often works rapidly, and sometimes caseworkers do not even have all of the true facts and contexts of the event before they disperse families. You can rely on our Austin CPS attorneys to aggressively advocate for your family.
Call us today at (512) 772-2442 or contact us online to benefit from the determined representation offered by Carroll Troberman, PLLC.