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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    1

    Default DCF Procedures in Florida

    My question involves child abuse or neglect in the State of: FL

    My husband is the non-custodial parent of his 2 little girls (age 5 and 6). We have recently been notified by his ex wife that DCF has opened an investigation because someone reported that the youngest said that "daddy hit her." This supposedly happened last Monday and shortly there after, a caseworker was said to have come to her house and interviewed the youngest about the incident. Now according to the ex wife, we can't have any contact with the girls at all and no one from DCF has contacted us about anything. The only information we are getting is coming second hand from the ex wife. She says she has given them our address and phone numbers but we are still sitting on pins and needles.We moved to NC on 2/22/11 and all of this is happening after we left the state.
    Basically the questions I have are:
    How long does DCF have to contact my husband about the investigation?

    Shouldn't DCF be the one to tell us that we can't have contact with the girls?considering we have a court ordered visitation and custody agreement...

    What should our next steps be?

  2. #2

    Default Re: DCF Procedures in Florida

    His ex wife notifying him of DCF activity should carry as much weight as your bank teller telling him of DCF activity. DCF is completely capable of communicating with parents, and until and unless dad is actually CONTACTED by DCF, or is served with a court order or other communication from an official source, he needs to take what mom is telling him with a grain of salt. Really, DCF opening an investigation means little to nothing. The vast majority of cases are opened and just as quickly closed with no findings of concern.

    IF DCF is actually doing a level of assessment or investigation, they have no specific time frame within which they'd be required to contact dad - but if there was going to be a change in a standing visitation order, it would be served to dad rather quickly. That dad recently moved out of state means that he's not likely considered an immediate threat, and so they're not going to put a priority "rush" on it. So lack of contact so far doesn't necessarily mean they're not looking into things. But it's equally possible that DCF showed up, conducted their interview, found no reason to go further, and closed their case. So until dad hears differently from someone OTHER than mom, he can assume that things are status quo.

    Never take legal advice or heresay from the other parent. Dad can always call DCF himself to see if he can offer to hurry things along or get the status of the case.

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