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Child Abuse and Neglect
- Administrative Decisions
- CGS § 4-180a requires that if any agency wishes to rely on final administrative decisions as precedent, the decisions must be indexed and available for public inspection and copying to the extent required by FOIA. Click for link to indexed and summarized substantiation decisions. For a full copy of these decisions, make your request in writing to the Administrative Hearings Unit.
- Connecticut Judicial Branch Guide to the Law of Abuse and Neglect
- Consent Decrees
- Juan F.
- W.R. v. Connecticut Department of Children and Families
- DCF Information
- Interagency Agreements
- Legal Rights of Youth in DCF Care
- Legal Rights Videos for Youth in Foster Care
- Sample Letters
- Standards of Practice for Child Protection Attorneys in Juvenile Matters
- Standing Orders
- Trial Manual for Defense Attorneys in Juvenile Court
- TIPS for Lawyers – FAQs and Updates on Key Issues in Child Protection Law
- Other Resources
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- Connecticut Commission on Child Protection
- GOA Report regarding deaths and abuses at residential programs for troubled teens
Vulnerable children with disabilities have been subject to unnecessary restraints which resulted in several deaths over the past two decades. Examples of these cases include a 7 year old purportedly dying after being held face down for hours by school staff, 5 year olds allegedly being tied to chairs with bungee cords and duct tape by their teacher and suffering broken arms and bloody noses, and a 13 year old reportedly hanging himself in a seclusion room after prolonged confinement.
- Impact of Foster-Care Placement on Child Development
Important study conducted by researchers at University of Minnesota and published in the journal Development and Psychopathology demonstrates the harmful impact of foster-care placement on child development. The researchers compared three groups of children: maltreated children placed in foster care; children apparently suffering similar maltreatment who were left at home with little or no help; and a control group of “at risk” children who had not been maltreated and found the maltreated children left at home fared better than those placed in foster care. Of the maltreated children placed in foster care, those placed with relatives fared better than those placed with strangers, although not as well as those left at home. Not surprisingly, the control group — “at risk” children who had not been maltreated — fared the best. The study provides useful ammunition for advocates seeking to contest temporary custody or a commitment to DCF, or to press for a relative placement. Click to download study in PDF.
- U.S. Children’s Bureau Website
The Children’s Bureau website includes Child and Family Services Reviews with key findings, state assessments and Program Improvement Plans. Promising Approaches page offers brief information on 40 projects in 23 states.
Training and Technical Assistance, Statistics and Research, Frequently Requested Information, and Federal and State Reporting Systems)
- Youth Who “Age Out” Medical Insurance Coverage and Public Benefits
- Print Resources
- Print resources are available in the resource library at the Center for Children’s Advocacy or the University of Connecticut School of Law Library.
- Child Witness : Fragile voices in the American Legal System, McGough, Lucy S, Yale University Press (KF 9672 .M37 1994)
- The Child Witness, Perry, Nancy W., Sage Publications (KF 9672 .P465 1991)
- Children, Social Science and the Law, Bottoms, B.; Kotera, M. and McAuliff B., eds, 2002 (KF 3735.C48)
- Expert Witnesses in Child Abuse Cases, Ceci, S. and Hembrooke, H, editors, 1998 (KF 9323.E 96 )
- If DCF is Your Legal Guardian – Topics: Rights of children involved with DCF – Pages: 6 – Source: Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut (12/93); Free – phone (english) 800-453-3320 or (spanish) 800-453-3374
- Improving Outcomes Together: Court and Child Welfare Collaboration – Author: Cecilia Fiermonte, J.D. and the Honorable Nancy Sidote Salyers – Topics: family and juvenile court, child- Source: National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues, June 2005, available at: www.fosteringresults.org/results/reports/pewreports_06-22-05_improvingoutcomes.pdf
- * Juvenile Law: Child Protection in Connecticut Courts – Author: Assistant Attorney General Arthur Webster – Topics: Abuse, Neglect and Uncared For Proceedings; Extensions & Revocations of Commitment; Termination of Parental Rights – Pages: 225 (1998)
- The Law of Child Abuse and Neglect in Connecticut – Author: Paul Chill, Topics: Abuse and Neglect, Termination of Parental Rights (2d ed. 1999-DRAFT) *KFC 3694.5 C53 1997
- Legal Issues in Child Abuse and Neglect Practice – Author: John E. B. Myers, Topics: Prevalence and effects of child maltreatment — The child protection system — Child abuse reporting laws — Investigative interviewing regarding child maltreatment — Investigating suspected child abuse — Balancing the need for confidentiality and the requirements of disclosure — Expert testimony — Cross-examination and impeachment : special accommdations when children testify –Liability of professionals, Pages: 411 (1998)
- * Making Sense of ASFA Regulations: A Roadmap for Effective Implementation, Debra Ratterman Baker et al., American Bar Association, 2001.
- Memory and Testimony in the Child Witness, Sage Publications, (K 2271.5 .Z9 M46 1995)
- * Navigating the Pathways: lessons and Promising Practices in Linking Alcohol and Drug Services with Child Welfare, Young NK, Gardner, SL, SAMHSA Publication No. SMA-02-36639. Rockville MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, April 2002.
- Psychological Evaluations for the Courts – Author: Gary B. Melton, John Petrila, Noman G. Poythress, Christopher Slobogin. Topics: The Techniques of Abuse/Neglect Evaluations. Pages: 794 (1997) Call # KF8922 .P77 1997
- Representing Parties in Child Abuse Proceedings; self study package includes materials plus audio tapes – Connecticut Bar Association Publications. (KFC4167.C5 R47)
- New: Representing Parents in Child Welfare Cases: A Basic Introduction for Attorneys, National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues 2005
- Sharing Information: A Study Guide to Federal Laws on Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information for Child Welfare Agencies – Authors: Alice Bussiere, Abigail English, Catherine Teare, National Center for Youth Law, San Francisco, CA, with the ABA Center on Children and the Law, Washington, D.C.
- * – Refer to either Call Numbers at the University of Connecticut School of Law Library or available at the Center for Children’s Advocacy Legal Resource Center. For more information, contact the Center for Children’s Advocacy.
