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Navigating a Child Protective Services (CPS) case in Texas can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to understanding your visitation rights with your children. Many parents facing this situation have urgent questions about visitation, seeking clarity to protect their rights during this difficult time. In this blog post, we will break down the Texas CPS visitation guidelines, providing clear, concise information to help you understand the process and navigate this complex legal landscape with confidence.
Reunification and Visitation: Understanding the Goal and Process
I have been in contact with many parents and families who are facing CPS cases in my time as a family law attorney. Of all the difficult and downright scary circumstances that a family can face in the world of family law, CPS cases are probably the most intimidating. The reason for this is simple: the stakes are much higher.
Now, I will stop this blog by telling you that most CPS cases do not work out like that. A majority of the CPS cases that I have worked on have been those kinds of cases where the end goal is to place your child back in your home with you permanently. CPS refers to these types of cases as ones where “reunification” is the goal. The last thing I want to do is cause you to think that your child will end up living with someone else at the end of your case. That could happen, but the odds are certainly against it.
If the state convinces a judge that it serves your child’s best interests, you will spend part of your case visiting your child following their removal from your home during an ongoing investigation. Usually, a safety concern triggers this removal. Perhaps a dangerous condition in your home requires repair, or an issue with you or someone else in your household needs resolution before your child can return.
There would usually have to be a safety concern of some sort for this to happen. It could be that there is a dangerous condition in your home that needs repair. It could also be that something is going on with you or another person in your house that needs to be dealt with before your child can return home.
How Does Visiting With Your Child Work During a CPS Case?
You may be wondering—if your child cannot return to your home until the end of your CPS case, where will your visitation sessions take place? Typically, most visitations, especially during the early stages of your case, will be supervised. According to Texas CPS visitation guidelines, this means a CPS caseworker will observe your visitation from a distance, making notes on your interactions with your child. This supervision helps ensure the safety and well-being of your child while you work towards a resolution in your case.
A visitation session can occur at a CPS office, a licensed (by the state) visitation center, or a public place like a restaurant or a park. Although the setup can seem awkward, it is important to your case overall. Let’s discuss why it is important and just what sort of impact taking advantage of these visits can have on you and your child in the short and long terms.
Visitation During a CPS Case Is Important for Your Child
The most fundamental purpose of visiting with your child during a CPS case is to make sure that you and your child remain attached. Using ‘attached’ in our culture doesn’t carry a negative connotation. This kind of attachment isn’t co-dependent. You and your child share a bond that is nearly unbreakable, regardless of your experiences. However, a CPS case can strain this bond significantly in many instances.
Want to Get Your Child Back in Your Home? Make Sure You’re Visiting With Him or Her
To achieve the ultimate goal of bringing your child back home, you must visit them regularly during the ongoing case. Another critical aspect for wrapping up your case more quickly involves frequent visits with your child. CPS will be observing you see if you are making progress in whatever your safety plan has asked you to work on.
The only opportunity that you will have to work on those skills with your child and with CPS in attendance will be in the supervised visitation sessions. Do not look at these opportunities as being demeaning. They are exactly what you need at this time in your life and in the life of your case.
Help Your Child Maintain a Strong Connection to You and Your Family Through Visitation
The relationships that your child forms in their youth will make a tremendous difference in who they are as they grow up. If you cannot provide them with a solid foundation as to who they are, where they come from, and what is important to your family, they will not have a firm basis on which to grow and mature into adults.
Visitation sessions provided to you in your CPS case offer a crucial opportunity to teach your child important life traits through discipline, play, conversation, and working to improve your relationship. In Texas CPS visitation guidelines, regular visitation is essential to maintain these bonds. If you cannot see your child regularly during this period, your connection can weaken. You play such a significant role in your child’s life that no one else can replicate the unique influence you have. Therefore, it’s vital to have regular visitation sessions to preserve and strengthen your relationship with your child.
Even in instances where you will not be reunified with your child permanently, you are still an important part of your child’s life. Allowing yourself and your family to maintain bonds with a child can be important if, for no other reason than the CPS case is a difficult time for your child. Showing him friendly faces regularly can go a long way towards helping ease the transition to a new phase of their life.
You Visiting With Your Child Can Positively Affect Their Behavior
Children who are living in foster care have a wide range of problems that could potentially affect them. Behavioral issues often stem from stress, lack of supervision, and difficulties in managing life upheavals. If your child is involved in a CPS case, you might encounter these behavioral problems.
Visiting your child whenever possible can significantly help manage poor behavior while they live with a foster family. During this transitional period, your child faces many challenges. Regular visits can ease their transition into foster care and potentially expedite the process of reunification.
Maintaining a strong bond with your child is crucial during a CPS case. Without it, the length of the case might weaken your existing bond and lead to a situation where both of you lose sight of each other’s role in your lives. This loss makes reunification more challenging.
How to Handle Your First Visitation With Your Child During a Texas CPS Case
Once placed in foster care and removed from your home, you must contact your child as soon as possible. Unless a court or CPS determines that your child’s safety is at risk, you should get a chance to visit within 48 hours of their placement in a foster family.
Your first visit will likely occur before completing a full assessment of your child’s safety and well-being. The visitation monitor will need information about the circumstances leading to your child’s removal and any relevant details about your child and family.
How the CPS investigation relates to your family and vice versa is a crucial relationship that the monitor should learn about as quickly as possible before your first visitation session.
Additionally, the monitor will have the knowledge and skills necessary to help you and your child make the most of each visitation session, in line with Texas CPS visitation guidelines. This is undoubtedly an emotional and challenging situation, and it’s natural for frustration, confusion, and other strong emotions to arise during these visits. To ensure the best possible experience, it’s essential to have a monitor who is not only present to oversee the session but also available to guide both you and your child through these initial interactions. This support is key to making progress in rebuilding your relationship.
Where the Visitation Sessions Occur Will Make a Tremendous Difference
First of all, the safety of your child is the most important part of this whole process. It is the reason that CPS is even involved in your life in the first place. As such, when you are being reintroduced to your child during the case, CPS will need to ensure that your child is out of harm’s way. Another consideration to give some regard to is how far the visitation location is from your home. The closer, the better, as far as you are concerned.
What Can You Expect From the Visitation Venue?
You will not be in a space with a lot of other people. You and your child can have time to yourselves that have minimal distractions. If you and your child want to share feelings or frustrations, this is a good time. Wherever you end up visiting with your child, it will be private. CPS tries to make these sessions occur in an environment that is as home-like as possible.
If you are at a CPS facility for your visitation session, the room will be designed to be comfortable, with couches and chairs available for sitting. In line with Texas CPS visitation guidelines, the area must also be clean and child-friendly, allowing you and your child to play on the floor together, depending on their age. Toys, games, and other activities will be provided to engage with, ensuring a productive and positive experience. Additionally, snacks and water will typically be available for you to enjoy. You will be expected to attend to your child’s needs during the session, so be sure to bring any necessary items, such as diapers and baby wipes, if applicable.
The visitation sessions will work around your schedule and your child as much as possible. Your child will attend school, and you will need to work, so the day and time of your meeting will need to accommodate these realities. Ensure that you let your CPS caseworker know of any changes in your schedule or specific needs that arise about visitation so that issues can be troubleshot before they become problems.
Conclusion
As you navigate a CPS case in Texas, understanding Texas CPS visitation guidelines is essential for maintaining a meaningful relationship with your children. By familiarizing yourself with the visitation process outlined in Texas law, you can more effectively advocate for your parental rights and ensure that your children’s best interests remain the priority throughout the legal proceedings. Stay informed, seek legal guidance when necessary, and be proactive in pursuing visitation arrangements that support the well-being of your family. With the right knowledge and approach, you can navigate this challenging situation with confidence and clarity, working towards a resolution that promotes the welfare of your children.
Preparing for a CPS Visitation With Your Child? Read Tomorrow’s Blog to Learn More About It.
Being able to prepare adequately for these important visitation opportunities with your child is very important. If you find yourself in a situation where you require preparation, please head back to our blog tomorrow. We will be sharing some tips with you that will aid you and your child during these difficult times.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about the content contained in today’s blog post, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan. Our licensed family law attorneys offer free of charge consultations six days a week here in our office. These consultations are a great opportunity for you to learn more about your case and learn how our office can assist you in whatever circumstances you are facing.
If you want to know more about what you can do, CLICK the button below to get your FREE E-book: “Child Protective Services E-Book”
Other Articles you may be interested in:
- How Can You Take Advantage of Visitation With Your Child During a CPS Case if You Are Incarcerated?
- What Will CPS Be Keeping an Eye on Regarding Your Parent-Child Visitation Sessions?
- What Is It Like to Have Supervised Visitation During a CPS Case?
- How to stand up for yourself during a Texas CPS case
- How to prevent a second CPS investigation after your first concludes
- Family Law Cases in Texas: The final stages of a CPS case
- When can CPS remove your child from your home in Texas and what can you do about it?
- What to do if you no longer like your CPS service plan?
- In what circumstances could your child end up living with your relative during a CPS case?
- What can a CPS investigation into your family mean now and in the future?
- What to do if your spouse is being investigated by CPS in Texas for abuse or neglect of your child?
- Can CPS photograph your house and request your child’s medical records in Texas?
Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC | Houston, Texas CPS Defense Lawyers
The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC routinely handles matters that affect children and families. If you have questions regarding CPS, it’s important to speak with one of our Houston, TX CPS defense Lawyers right away to protect your rights.
Our CPS defense lawyers in Houston TX are skilled at listening to your goals during this trying process and developing a strategy to meet those goals. Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC by calling (281) 810-9760 or submit your contact information in our online form.
