When you’re involved in a DCF (Department of Children and Families) case in Connecticut, when a Neglect Petition is filed, the court will order something called “Specific Steps.” If you’re worried about what happens next or feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. These steps are your road map to getting your child back or, if you’re still together, keeping DCF out of your life.
What Are Specific Steps?
Specific Steps are court-ordered actions that both you and DCF must take. They’re designed to help you keep or regain custody of your child. These steps are ordered after a finding of neglect and can be part of Protective Supervision, or after a disposition of commitment. In some cases, the court may also issue these steps as interim orders before any final adjudication or disposition.
Simply put, Specific Steps are the court’s way of outlining what you need to do to address the issues that led to DCF’s involvement. These steps might include things like attending parenting classes, going to therapy, or showing proof that you have a safe and stable home for your child. Following these steps is critical—if you don’t, the court may decide to extend DCF’s involvement, increase oversight of your family, or, in more serious cases, remove your child and place them in foster care. Check out the actual document HERE
What Should Specific Steps Include?
Specific Steps are supposed to be realistic and tailored to your specific situation. The idea is that they address the actual problems that led to DCF involvement, not overwhelm you with tasks that don’t make sense for your case.
However, that’s not always how it works. Sometimes DCF may propose Specific Steps that don’t fully reflect your unique needs or situation. In reality, these steps can feel like a one-size-fits-all list, which isn’t helpful when you’re trying to make meaningful changes
That’s why having an attorney who understands your case is so important. Your attorney can negotiate to make sure the steps are reasonable and actually help you get your child back, rather than setting you up for failure by expecting too much.
What Specific Steps Might Include: A Closer Look
As part of your DCF case, the court will order specific steps to address concerns and move toward resolving the case. These steps must be followed as ordered by the court, and non-compliance could result in being found in contempt.
Below is an overview of common steps ordered in DCF cases:
- Attending Parenting Classes: Parenting classes may be required to provide you with additional resources and guidance. This doesn’t imply you’re a bad parent—it’s simply a step DCF has identified as helpful in addressing the situation and resolving the case.
- Therapy or Counseling: This could include individual, family, or parenting-specific therapy. The goal is to help address any mental health, substance abuse, or family dynamics that may be contributing to DCF’s involvement. DCF may provide specific goals for this therapy, and you are expected to follow through.
- Visitation: This step is usually ordered when a child is under and OTC or committed to the department of children and families and placed in foster care. It is important to visit with your child as often as possible. (if you are struggling with DCF Supervised visits check out our guide HERE)
- Substance Abuse Testing: If substance use is relevant to your case, regular testing may be ordered. This is a way for the court to monitor progress in addressing any concerns related to substance abuse.
- Refrain from Illegal Drug Use or Substance Abuse: In addition to testing, the court may order that you abstain from using illegal drugs or misusing substances, which is a condition of resolving the case.
- Housing Requirements: You may be required to show that you have a safe and stable home for your child. This could involve maintaining appropriate housing or addressing any safety concerns in your current living situation. (poverty itself is not a reason to remove a child from their parents)
- Accept In-Home Support Services: If DCF offers in-home services, such as counseling or parenting support, you are required to accept and cooperate with these services as part of the case plan.
- Attend and Complete a Domestic Violence Program: If domestic violence was identified as a concern in the case, you may be ordered to complete a domestic violence program. This step is meant to ensure the safety and well-being of your family.
- Don’t Break the Law: You are required to comply with all legal requirements and avoid any criminal activity. This step is standard in most cases and is designed to ensure you are focused on resolving the issues at hand.
- Make Necessary Child-Care Arrangements: You will need to ensure that proper child care is in place if you are unable to provide direct care for your child, whether due to work or other obligations.
- Travel Restrictions Under Protective Supervision: If your case is under protective supervision, you are not allowed to take your child out of the state of Connecticut overnight without permission from DCF or the court. This is to ensure proper monitoring while DCF remains involved.
DCF’s Responsibilities Under Specific Steps
It’s not just the parents who have work to do—DCF also has a list of important responsibilities they must follow to support the family and ensure the child’s safety. Here’s what DCF is required to do as part of the Specific Steps:
- Ensure the Child’s Safety and Well-being: DCF must take necessary measures to keep your child safe and healthy while the case is ongoing.
- Monitor the Welfare of the Child: DCF will keep an eye on your child’s well-being and the conditions in your care, ensuring that you’re meeting the necessary requirements.
- Refer Parents and Children to Services: DCF is responsible for informing you about services like therapy, parenting classes, or other resources that could help your case—and they must do so in a timely manner.
- Provide Case Management Services: They’ll oversee the entire case, helping to coordinate services and track progress.
- Develop and Review Treatment/Permanency Plans: DCF will work with you to create and periodically review a treatment or permanency plan, ensuring it’s updated as necessary.
- Refer and Monitor Progress: DCF will refer you to appropriate services and monitor your progress, making sure you’re on track with the Specific Steps.
- Provide Written Notice of Referrals: They are required to give you and your attorney written, dated notice of any referrals to service providers, and keep copies for the court.
- Share Reports with Attorneys: Upon request, DCF must provide copies of reports they receive from service providers about you or your child.
- Implement Service Recommendations: They must implement reasonable recommendations from service providers or evaluators, or seek relief from the court if necessary.
- Investigate Placement Resources: If you suggest someone as a placement resource for your child, DCF has 30 days to complete their investigation of that person. The same timeline applies to identifying and assessing relatives for placement.
- Develop Safety Plans in Domestic Violence Cases: If domestic violence is involved, DCF must help create, implement, and monitor an appropriate safety plan for your child.
- Notify of Placement Changes: They must inform you and the attorneys of any changes in your child’s placement, such as hospitalizations, respite care, or safe home placements.
- Provide Record Releases: If your child is committed, DCF must give your child’s attorney or guardian access to their medical, psychological, psychiatric, and educational records.
- Notify of New Social Workers: If a new social worker is assigned to your case, DCF must notify all attorneys and the court in writing, including the new worker’s contact information.
- Encourage Sibling Visitation: DCF is responsible for fostering and supporting sibling visitation when siblings are placed separately.
These responsibilities are meant to ensure that both you and DCF are working together toward the best outcome for your family. If DCF fails to meet these obligations, it could impact the outcome of your case, which is why having an experienced attorney to hold them accountable is crucial.
What Happens If You Don’t Follow the Specific Steps?
Non-compliance is serious. If you don’t follow the Specific Steps, the court can change custody arrangements, and your child might be removed from your care. However, these steps are designed to be achievable. If you stay focused and make progress, it can lead to positive outcomes, like getting your child back or closing the DCF case.
How Long Do You Have to Follow the Specific Steps?
The amount of time you have to complete the Specific Steps will vary depending on your case, but the most common term for protective supervision is 6 months. For cases involving commitment, the timeline can be longer and depends on your unique circumstances. During this time, the court will hold review hearings to assess your progress.
It’s important to understand that you may not be required to complete every single item on the Specific Steps in order for your case to be resolved or for reunification to occur. The key is showing consistent and substantial progress toward meeting the goals set by the court. Demonstrating that you’re making meaningful efforts to address the concerns can be enough to move toward a positive outcome, even if some steps remain incomplete.
What Happens After You Complete the Specific Steps?
If you’ve done everything the court asked, the best outcome is that your child is returned to you, or DCF is no longer involved in your life. If you’re under Protective Supervision, your case might be closed once DCF and the court determine that court oversight is no longer necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
