How does a DCFS investigation start?

To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call (800) 25-ABUSE (252-2873).

When you call the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) hotline, a hotline worker will answer and you for information, such as:

• The reported incident,
• The child's name, The child's address, and
• A description of the abuse.

Using this description, the worker will decide whether to take further action based on DCFS guidelines. If the hotline worker decides that the description of abuse requires further action, the next step is to open a formal DCFS investigation.

There are penalties for calling in false claims to DCFS.

For help, you can call DCFS Info and Assistance at (800) 232-3798 or (217) 524-2029.
 

What does an investigation look like?

A DCFS investigation involves a DCFS investigator interviewing the person who has allegedly harmed the child. The investigator also meets in person with the child or children who were allegedly abused. Depending on the allegations, the investigator may ask for medical check-ups or "victim sensitive interviews" with the child. The investigation may also involve interviewing others, like:

• The hotline worker,
• Doctors,
• Teachers,
• Family members, or
• Anyone else with information about the child or children.

A DCFS investigation is not a criminal investigation. However, DCFS and the police often investigate the same reports. If both DCFS and the police are investigating, they will talk and work together. Anything a parent says to DCFS can be used against them by the police.

How long do DCFS investigations take?

DCFS has 60 days to complete a formal investigation. Formal investigations are used to:

• Figure out if there is reliable evidence that a child was abused or neglected,
• Decide if the child is at risk of future abuse or neglect in the home, and
• Decide if DCFS can help the family with services within their community.

When a formal investigation starts, DCFS assigns a Child Protection Investigator (CPI) to look into the case. Within 24 hours of the first hotline report, the CPI will try to visit the child to make sure there is no immediate threat to the child’s safety.

What can DCFS do in my home?

The CPI will follow the Child Endangerment and Risk Assessment Protocol (CERAP).This may include visiting the child’s home and other places where the abuse or neglect may have happened. The CPI does this to decide if the child’s home is safe. If the child’s home is found to be unsafe at any point during the investigation, the CPI may ask a parent to agree to a safety plan. This may involve temporarily placing the child with a relative or family friend. 

If the CPI thinks that a safety plan won't remove the safety risk to the child, they can immediately remove the child from the home without the parent’s consent. This is called taking “protective custody.” DCFS can only take protective custody for up to 48 hours. If DCFS intends to keep the children in their care for more than 48 hours, a juvenile court case must be opened. This is called taking “temporary custody.” If you are told that DCFS intends to take temporary custody, you should receive information about a court date. It is important that you attend those court dates. DCFS can also limit or terminate a child’s contact with parents or siblings. They can do this when they believe there is an immediate need to protect the child’s health, safety, and welfare. DCFS does not need to get a court order to do this.

Starting January 2023, DCFS workers who conduct in-person investigations will be allowed to carry sprays like mace for self-defense when visiting homes. DCFS workers can only use a protection spray device if:

1. They believe they need to protect themselves from an imminent physical harm,
2. They are using the spray device to stop a person from trying to physically hurt them, and they believe it is the only way to create an escape from danger,
3. The spray device is approved by the Department and Illinois State Police,
4. They have verbally told the people nearby that they’re going to use the device,
5. They only intend to spray the person trying to cause them physical harm, and
6. They have completed training on how to use the device, de-escalation techniques, pre-contact cues, and situation awareness.

Unless all the conditions above are followed, a DCFS worker cannot use a protection spray in your home. Whenever a DCFS worker uses a personal protection spray device, they should call 9-1-1 for emergency response as soon as it is reasonably safe to do so.