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1-800-800-5556. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Indiana Department of Child Services' Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline today. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays.

Emergency removal may be necessary if all of the following factors are present: 1. It appears that the child's physical or mental condition is seriously impaired or seriously endangered if the child is not immediately taken into custody; 2. There is not a reasonable opportunity to obtain an order of the court; and 3.

By statute, the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS, formerly known as CPS) has to investigate every claim of abuse or neglect by a parent reported to the hotline number. The investigation and legal process that follows can be confusing.

Parents Rights When Dealing with DCS in Indiana DCS must inform you of them in writing when they file a petition or remove your child. The right to have a detention hearing held by a court within 48 hours after the child's removal from the home, and the right to request the return of the child at such hearing.

After an allegation of child abuse or neglect has been made, DCS will initiate an assessment of the situation. Throughout the complex and extensive DCS proceedings, they will be attempting to assess if your child has been a victim of child abuse or neglect, otherwise known as a Child in Need of Services (“CHINS”).

Although reports can be made in person or by correspondence, the vast majority of child abuse and neglect reports are made via telephone. CPS receives and initiates investigations of child maltreatment on a 24-hour basis. Investigations of abuse or neglect may be substantiated or unsubstantiated.

As outlined in Indiana Code 35-46-1-4, a person may be charged with the neglect of a dependent in Indiana for the following acts: Placing the dependent in a situation that endangers their life or health. Abandoning or cruelly confining the dependent. Depriving the dependent of necessary support.

CPS social workers want to know about the family dynamic and the living environment. CPS seldom attempts to vilify or discriminate against parents on purpose. The last thing CPS wants to do is separate children from their families. During a CPS visit, parents should still be aware of their rights.