(a) Upon the opening of an investigation concerning the alleged abuse or neglect of a child, the Department of Children and Families shall give, when deemed to be in the best interests of the child, notice to the noncustodial parent, custodial parent, guardian of the child and parents if the Department of Children and Families has custody of a child, unless there are reasonable grounds to believe such notice may interfere with a criminal investigation or endanger a person. Such notice shall include (1) the allegation in the complaint, (2) the availability of services from the department, including, but not limited to, child care subsidies and emergency shelter, and (3) the programs of the Office of Victim Services and information on obtaining a restraining order. The notice shall also inform the recipient that such child may be removed from the custody of the custodial parent by the department if such removal is authorized under the general statutes. The department shall employ all reasonable efforts to provide such notice in English or the principal language of the recipient, if known, verbally as soon as practicable after the opening of such investigation or in writing not later than five business days after the opening of such investigation.
(b) Upon a substantiated complaint of abuse or neglect of a child having a single custodial parent or a guardian, the Department of Children and Families shall give, when deemed to be in the best interests of the child, to the noncustodial parent, custodial parent, guardian of the child, and parents if the Department of Children and Families has custody of a child, notice of (1) the circumstances of the complaint, including the name of the person who caused the abuse or neglect, (2) the availability of services from the department, including, but not limited to, child care subsidies and emergency shelter, and (3) the programs of the Office of Victim Services and information on obtaining a restraining order. The notice shall also inform the recipient that such child may be removed from the custody of the custodial parent by the department if such removal is authorized under the general statutes. The department shall employ all reasonable efforts to provide the notice not later than ten days after substantiation of a complaint.
(c) The written notice required under subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be in English or the principal language of the recipient, if known, and be delivered (1) by certified mail, return receipt requested, directed to the last-known address of each recipient, or (2) by an agent of the department. In the case of personal delivery of written or verbal notice by an agent, written acknowledgment of such delivery shall be made by the recipient.
(P.A. 98-173; P.A. 99-85; P.A. 13-77, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 99-85 amended Subsec. (a) to require notice to a parent of a child if the Department of Children and Families has custody of the child and to require provision of notice within ten days if possible and amended Subsec. (b) to require the notice to be in English or the principal language of the recipient; P.A. 13-77 added new Subsec. (a) re notice to parents and guardians upon the opening of a child abuse or neglect investigation, redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b) and amended same to add provisions re neglect, and redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and amended same to add provisions re written or verbal notice and make a conforming change, effective July 1, 2013.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 17a - Social and Human Services and Resources
Section 17a-93. (Formerly Sec. 17-32d). - Definitions.
Section 17a-94. (Formerly Sec. 17-34). - Establishment of receiving homes.
Section 17a-95. (Formerly Sec. 17-35). - Religious and moral instruction.
Section 17a-97. (Formerly Sec. 17-36a). - Foster parent families.
Section 17a-98a. - Kinship navigator program.
Section 17a-98b. - Visit to family home of child with behavioral health needs.
Section 17a-98c. - Written special requests from foster families to the department.
Section 17a-99. (Formerly Sec. 17-37a). - Delegation of guardianship authority.
Section 17a-100. (Formerly Sec. 17-38). - Ill treatment of children.
Section 17a-100a. - Reporting of neglected or cruelly treated animals. Training program.
Section 17a-100c. - Annual report re actual or suspected instances of animal neglect or cruelty.
Section 17a-101c. - Written or electronic report by mandated reporter.
Section 17a-101d. - Contents of reports.
Section 17a-101l. - Visitation centers.
Section 17a-101q. - State-wide sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention program.
Section 17a-102. (Formerly Sec. 17-38b). - Report of danger of abuse.
Section 17a-103a. - Telephone Careline to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.
Section 17a-103c. - Report of abuse or neglect re child committed as delinquent. Notification.
Section 17a-104. (Formerly Sec. 17-38d). - Treatment by Christian Science practitioner.
Section 17a-106b. - Impact of family violence in child abuse cases.
Section 17a-106c. - Family Violence Coordinating Council. Members. Responsibilities.
Section 17a-106i. - Disclosure of personal injury. Provision of notice re victim compensation.
Section 17a-107. (Formerly Sec. 17-38g). - Regulations on reports of child abuse.
Section 17a-109. (Formerly Sec. 17-39). - Commitment of children to child-caring facilities.
Section 17a-110b. - Permanency resource exchange.
Section 17a-114a. - Liability of persons for personal injury to children placed in their care.
Section 17a-114b. - Credit report review for youth placed in foster care.
Section 17a-114c. - Approval of foster or adoptive family application when a child has died.
Section 17a-114d. - Caregiver authority. Reasonable and prudent parent standard. Liability.
Section 17a-114e. - Foster family profiles. Foster family survey.
Section 17a-114f. - Notification of support for foster parents and relative caregivers.
Section 17a-114g. - Annual report re foster care licensing practices.
Section 17a-115. (Formerly Sec. 17-43d). - Arrest records.
Section 17a-115a. - Emergency placement of children. Criminal history records checks.
Section 17a-116. (Formerly Sec. 17-44a). - “Special needs” child defined.
Section 17a-116a. - Information handbook re adoption of children with special needs.
Section 17a-116d. - Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance.
Section 17a-116e. - Compact administrator.
Section 17a-117. (Formerly Sec. 17-44b). - Subsidies for adopting parents.
Section 17a-119. (Formerly Sec. 17-44d). - Moneys for subsidies. Regulations.
Section 17a-121. (Formerly Sec. 17-44f). - Prior subsidies not affected. Increases.
Section 17a-125. - Out-of-Home Placements Advisory Council.
Section 17a-126. - Subsidized guardianship program.
Section 17a-127. - Development and implementation of individual service plan. Child specific team.
Section 17a-128. - Liaison to Department of Social Services.
Section 17a-129. - Department not required to seek custody of certain children and youths.
Section 17a-130. - Application to insurance contracts.
Section 17a-147. - Licensing of extended day treatment programs.
Section 17a-148. (Formerly Sec. 17-49). - When license not required; agreement for adoption.
Section 17a-150. (Formerly Sec. 17-49b). - Regulations.
Section 17a-152. (Formerly Sec. 17-51). - Placement of child from another state.
Section 17a-175. (Formerly Sec. 17-81a). - Compact.
Section 17a-176. (Formerly Sec. 17-81b). - Licensing or bonding not required of sending agency.
Section 17a-177. (Formerly Sec. 17-81c). - Financial responsibility for children. Enforcement.
Section 17a-178. (Formerly Sec. 17-81d). - Duties of Commissioner of Children and Families.
Section 17a-179. (Formerly Sec. 17-81e). - Agreements with other states.
Section 17a-180. (Formerly Sec. 17-81f). - Requirements for visitation, inspection, supervision.
Section 17a-181. (Formerly Sec. 17-81g). - Placement of delinquent children.
Section 17a-182. (Formerly Sec. 17-81h). - Appointment of compact administrator.
Section 17a-195 to 17a-201. - Casey Child Welfare Unit.
Section 17a-201a. (Formerly Sec. 17-408). - Commitment under sixteen restricted.
Section 17a-201b. (Formerly Sec. 17-409). - Religious instruction.