CHINS (Children In Need of Services, DCS)
When the Department of Child Services becomes involved in your life, navigating a system that foreign to you requires the assistance of a skilled attorney knowledgeable in this often time confusing area of law. Whether you are a parent, placement, or foster provider, your rights are at risk of being infringed, sometimes without you knowing.
As a parent, you may be at risk of your parental rights being permanently terminated. Other consequences are losing existing custody, parenting time, and essential contact with your child. If you are a non-offending parent, representation can ensure that your position is heard by the Court and that the Department makes diligent efforts to ensure your child is placed with you if that placement is the least restrictive. Often times these cases are tied to custody or divorce cases that can dictate the direction of the permanency plan.