How to get reports and records from DCF
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The Department of Chldren and Families (DCF) has many different processes for how it gives its reports and records to families. This includes 51A abuse or neglect reports and 51B investigation reports. The way to ask DCF for its records depends on your situation:
- DCF court cases: If you have a lawyer for a DCF court case, ask your lawyer to help you get copies of any DCF documents. DCF court cases include care and protection (C&P) cases and sometimes child requiring assistance (CRA) cases.
- DCF fair hearing: If you plan to ask for a DCF fair hearing, you can get documents from DCF through that process. You can ask for a DCF fair hearing if you disagree with a DCF decision about your family, such as a “support” decision. See DCF Fair Hearing Help Center.
- Probate and Family Court cases: If you are involved in a Probate and Family court case, you may be able to get DCF documents for that court case. See How the Probate and Family Court gets access to DCF records.
- Everyone else: If you are not in court or involved in a fair hearing, and you are:
- an adult who was involved with DCF as a child or
- the parent or guardian of a child involved with DCF
follow the steps below to ask DCF for copies of the reports and documents that DCF has about you or your child.
Note
DCF is not allowed to tell you the name of the person who reported you. The name of that person will be removed from your records. Learn more at who made the 51A report against me.
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