Don’t get me wrong; there are transparent DCF investigators who, along with their supervisors, try all day long to get it right. They are not looking to destroy families. They are looking to educate, rehabilitate and offer critical services to families who may not have access or knowledge of these resources. The veterans of the Norwalk DCF office understand this better than anyone in the state. But there appears to be some sort of breakdown and failure in training DCF investigators. They need to understand they are probably the most powerful government agents in the state: they work for an agency that has the virtually unfettered power to take your children out of your home (at least for a minimum of 96 hours).
The best Connecticut DCF attorneys have all heard the same narrative from their clients: DCF told me that if I didn’t leave my husband / file a restraining order / file an emergency custody order, then I could be charged with neglect and my kids could be subject to a removal proceeding. How. Dare. They. Does DCF appreciate how impactful their rhetoric and threats are on a spouse who is already shattered from drama at home (i.e. they are a victim of domestic violence, or their spouse is going through mental health or alcohol / drug addiction)?
Connecticut DCF: step up and do it yourself but don’t threaten families…don’t threaten hard-working moms and dads who have not committed neglect…don’t threaten them with what “could” happen if they don’t go spend thousands on a divorce lawyer or file unnecessary motions in court.
Do the legwork yourselves. And if you don’t have enough evidence to do it yourself, then walk away. I understand that you do not want even one child to slip through the cracks and die, but you have to understand you cannot solve every family’s problems, you cannot save the world, especially with intimidation and bullying.
It’s in their twisted playbook. Let’s be honest with each other, DCF: calling a parent “neglectful” or threatening “neglect proceedings” against a parent is emotionally jarring and shakes every parent to their core.
What do you think any legit parent will do after you threaten neglect or removal proceedings? YEP….THEY WILL DO ANYTHING YOU SAY / SUGGEST.
Leave my husband? File a 46b-15 restraining order against my alcohol-addicted spouse? Hire a top Connecticut divorce lawyer stat? Yes, yes, whatever you say.
Learn from the wise words of Uncle Ben in Spiderman (a man who required his superhero nephew to be home for dinner every night): “WITH POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.”
Connecticut DCF has their own Plan B: lean on families to sign Service Agreements and Safety Plans. I’ve written about this a lot. When you sign theses documents, you give up critical legal rights.
So before you sign a Connecticut DCF safety plan or service agreement, contact a top Connecticut DCF investigation defense lawyer attorney.
The Connecticut DCF investigation attorneys at Mark Sherman Law have had it with DCF’s heavy-handed intimidation tactics. Get educated. Know your rights. Call us today to learn how to push back against DCF and engage them in a reasonable and fair discussion about child abuse and neglect. Once you have stood up for yourself with this agency, there usually is some middle ground. You can click here to see certified Avvo.com client reviews from our prior DCF clients.
