Child in Need of Care (CINC) courts are designed to protect children who may be victims of physical, mental or emotional abuse, neglect, abandonment, sexual abuse, or failing to attend school as required by law. Child in Need of Care actions are typically filed by the county or district attorney but may be filed privately by any individual who believes the child meets the definition of a child in need of care and who requires intervention of the court to protect the child’s health, safety, and welfare.
The children involved in these cases are often removed from the parents' home and placed with other family members or foster parents. After the cases are filed, the families are offered various services through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and their contractors in an effort to hopefully return the children to the home or otherwise ensure the safety concerns which prompted the case have been addressed.
Parents, grandparents, and other close family members going through a Child in Need of Care case often find themselves in a situation that is intimidating, complicated, and overwhelming. The first step to a successful outcome is to secure an attorney skilled in this area of law and who can help you navigate the various stages of the CINC process. The attorneys of Ward Law LLC understand not only the applicable law and statutes that govern each stage of the CINC process, but they also help clients work with DCF, consult with social workers and other professionals, litigate vigorously in the courtroom, and assist clients with carefully and efficiently working through these difficult cases.
In addition to representing parents, we represent grandparents, and assist other individuals in obtaining interested party status during a CINC case. While parents are often granted counsel in these cases, grandparents, foster parents, or other concerned family members can be left without representation or a guide in what can be a very confusing process. Our attorneys can help by seeking interested party status and providing you with a voice in the proceedings.
