In Massachusetts, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the agency responsible for making sure children are safe. It is supposed to do this by supporting children's families when they need help. It is only supposed to remove children and put them in the foster system if it is not possible to keep them safe with their families.

A fair hearing at the DCF is a hearing before a neutral hearing officer, employed by DCF. You can have a fair hearing to appeal certain decisions that DCF made about you or your family that you disagree with.

Fair Hearing Guide

Download a PDF copy of the guide Taking a Closer Look: Fair Hearings with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) by the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and the Children's Law Center, July 2018 (updated October 2023).

This is a guide about navigating the DCF fair hearing process. It can be used by low-income litigants, survivors, self-represented individuals, and advocates.