Defending Against the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP)
Why It’s Crucial You Hire a New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency Lawyer
“In the best interest of the child.” That’s the gold standard that the Family Practice Division of the New Jersey Courts use to guide their decisions, rulings, and verdicts. And perhaps there’s no single issue taken more seriously than the physical safety of a child— or, conversely, the physical abuse of a minor.
What happens, however, if you’ve been wrongfully accused? The New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/about/divisions/dcpp/) exists to safeguard the physical safety of children; however sometimes they act in overly aggressive ways. Sometimes they are just plain wrong. What if a slap wasn’t a slap, but an accident? What if your ex-spouse accuses you of a heinous act towards your child? What if a teacher or a neighbor misunderstands and calls the 24/7 DCPP hotline?
You’re going to need to defend yourself against the NJ DCPP. And given the stakes, it’s crucial you hire the right New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency Lawyer to do so.
What The DCPP Can Do
Formerly called the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), the Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) is empowered, under law, to take certain steps:
- The DCPP does have a legal right to seize your children, take state custody of them, and petition the Court to terminate your parental rights. (Which is why a qualified New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency Lawyer is essential.)
- The DCPP can push for prosecution of you for jail time if they believe you have committed children endangerment, child abandonment, child abuse, child recklessness, etc.
- The DCPP is known for acting speedily, with a timeframe that often stuns participants. (Therefore, if you are under investigation or have been accused of anything, it’s best to act immediately.)
Why You Need a New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency Lawyer
- When a parent, guardian or such finds themselves under investigation by the DCPP it’s almost always incredibly emotionally overwhelming. Faced with even the most remote prospect of losing custody of their children to the state can strike fear or paralyze any parent. You need an empathetic, calm and educated professional to guide you through this process.
- For instance, a lawyer knows that unless (or until) the DCPP has successfully petitioned the Court you have no legal obligation to allow them into your home to begin their investigation.
- A lawyer knows that you have rights, and even recourse.
In the best interest of the child is what almost all of us in the system— the parents, the lawyers, the Court, even the DCPP— use as a north star. Anyone who is a parent knows there’s a big difference between getting frustrated and losing your temper, and physically abusing a child. However well-intentioned the DCPP may be when it comes to custody of your children versus the state, you can’t risk it. You need a New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency Lawyer on your side.
O’Cathain Law Group’s motto is Move Forward. There can come a time when this alleged abuse, this baseless investigation is beyond you, and your children can go back to being a family together, a family that worries about daily trivialities and not losing your parental rights. You can defend yourself against the DCPP and Move Forward.
Find yourself in a scary and serious DCPP investigation or case? Call (201) 488-1161, fill out the intake form, or email a dedicated Family Law paralegal to speak with a New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency Lawyer at O’Cathain Law Group.