As a parent, losing custody of your children can often be a harrowing and traumatic experience for you and your family. The thought of another person or family taking over the responsibility of your child can be overwhelming for most parents. Losing your child under a Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) investigation does not have to be permanent, and often times can be resolved. It is entirely up to you, and how you react, that will ultimately decide if you regain custody of your child. The following are a few suggestions on how to reunite with your child and prevent it from happening again:
- Take Ownership and Seek Help: If the court and child protective services deem you unable to care for your child, there is a reason they decided to remove the child under your supervision, whether that reason is unfounded or not. The important thing you can do is take responsibility of what happened. Another important step is to seek legal counsel right away to see what options you can take to regain custody.
- Social Workers: Most of the time, when losing the custody of your child, a social worker will be handling the case and be your direct contact to the judge. They most likely will also offer you a case plan to regain custody, and this plan should be taken seriously. This case plan will mostly involve parenting classes, therapy, and other services from different providers. It is important to always be on time with these meetings, and to contact the social worker if you run into any issues. It is also very important to participate in these meetings and to never skip them; you do not want to provide the judge any reason to think you are unfit to be a parent and you are not taking the issue seriously.
- Emotions: Losing custody of your child could be an emotional experience, and it is possible you may act out or mistreat someone because of it. It is important to remember that social workers, the child protective service workers, and the judge are all human beings, and they will form opinions of you, even if they are technically supposed to be impartial. Make sure to be respectful of these people, be professional, and mindful of their time. Stay in communication with them and always be available to speak when they contact you. Otherwise, their opinions may sway out of your favor, and ultimately prevent you from regaining custody.
South Jersey DCPP Lawyers at the Law Offices of Theodore J. Baker Help Parents Regain Custody of Their Children
Losing custody of your child can be an extremely emotional and complicated situation. That is why it is extremely imperative for you and your family to contact an experienced and knowledgeable South Jersey DCPP lawyer at the Law Offices of Theodore J. Baker right away. Our caring lawyers will work with you and your family to the absolute best of their abilities. Call us today at 856-795-9400 or fill out our online form for an initial consultation. Located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Haddonfield, Marlton, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, and Voorhees.
