Your Rights During a DCFS Investigation
You can call Case Tracking at 773-371-6161 to find out if you are under investigation or 217-785-4010 to find out if you have been investigated before. You may be asked to provide a consent form (which DCFS should send you) or prove your identity to have information released to you.
If DCFS comes to your home or questions you as part of a DCFS investigation of you, you have the following RIGHTS:
To be interviewed within 7 days of the hotline call (subject to limited exceptions).
To receive written notice of the investigation within 14 days of the hotline call.
To access information in the report with the exception of information that would identify the reporter.
To speak with a DCFS worker who speaks the same language as you.
To refuse to speak to DCFS, but your refusal CAN be used against you.
Your refusal to speak to DCFS can be used against you, but it cannot be used as the only reason they make a decision against you.
To refuse to allow DCFS into your home.
To refuse to allow DCFS to interview the child(ren) in your home without a court order.
If you allow the interview to proceed, your child has the right to have someone else present for the interview.
To job-related protections called “DuPuy protections” if you work with children.
To give DCFS any information that supports your case.
To give DCFS “collateral contacts,” people who would support you; DCFS must speak with identified collateral contacts.