Approaching visitation from the perspective of your Child Protective Services case

The most crucial aspect of your visiting with your child during your Child Protective Services (CPS) case is that you all will have been separated from one another for what will likely be the most extended period in your lives. Going from seeing one another every day to once every week or even more can be incredibly difficult for parents and children. The time that you are afforded to be able to spend with one another is precious.

This is credible information that you are aware of, but it bears repeating that your child does not simply know that you are thinking about them or that you are worried about them if you cannot express those feelings directly to them.

You need to make sure that your child is aware of your feelings and how badly you want this investigation to end and to be reunited in your home. Remember that your child will be speaking to their attorney, the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), as well as to their CPS caseworker. You want these people to learn that you and your child have been speaking and conversing on this level.

After all, what you are trying to establish is that your child will be safe in your care. By reaffirming that your child will be taken care of by you moving forward, they will feel safe and will be more comfortable with the idea of eventually returning to their home with you. How your CPS caseworker evaluates, these visitation sessions will determine the reports made to the judge and how long your case may run. Take each opportunity seriously, and your case will benefit as a result.

Can you learn anything from these visitation sessions?

You may consider yourself a great parent who loves and cares for your child as much as possible. Before this CPS case, there may have been nothing that would indicate that your life would take a turn for the worse and wind up with a CPS investigation threatening to tear apart your family. However, the fact remains that this case involving your family is very much real and, as a result, is now going to be a part of your life. With that said, you should look at this investigation and the opportunities you are given to see your child as a chance to better yourself.

Are there aspects of your parenting that you could improve upon? Likely, yes. That doesn’t just go for you as a person involved with CPS, either. Each of us who counts ourselves among the ranks of parents could improve in some form or fashion when parenting our children. Why not speak to CPS about what they see in the relationship and use that to better yourself? This is good for you, good for your child, and suitable for your case. It is a no-lose situation.

If a part of your case is you meeting with a therapist you are referred to by CPS, then, by all means, meet with that person about what you are experiencing in the investigation and what led you to be investigated in the first place.

You may be previously unaware of aspects of your life that an investigator can help you sort through effectively. This investigation may be the best thing that ever happened to your parenting if it means improving yourself and your parenting skills.

What services have been recommended to you, and are you taking advantage of them?

Your investigation does not just mean that you have to attend some courtroom hearings and manage your case with a CPS employee. You will be expected to progress in the plan laid out for you by CPS and agreed to by none other than you.

CPS will want your visits with your child to go from supervised at their offices to supervised in public places and even your home. If the transition occurs where your child can return to your home permanently, it will be wise to get your child re-acclimated to your house.

The opposite of this general principle can also apply, however. Suppose you do not take advantage of the visitation periods afforded to you or misbehave towards your child or any other person involved in your case. In that case, your visitation time can be reduced dramatically. Be on alert that you need to be devoted entirely to your child at all times of your case- especially when you are in their presence and CPS has employees watching your interactions at all times.

Preparing for a visit with your child beforehand

Before making a trip to the visitation site, contact the CPS personnel who will supervise and confirm that the visit is taking place where you believe it is. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it is not out of the realm of possibilities for an appointment to be changed. However, if a visitation session is set to occur, you had better be sure of the location. You will upset your child and CPS if you fail to appear at the scheduled date and time.

Do not assume that your specific caseworker would know just because you called CPS. CPS employees work in large buildings with many employees, at least in large counties. This means that calling a general phone number and leaving only your name and phone number will likely be insufficient. Your contact number, the name of your caseworker, and a brief question will more than suffice.

Once you have contacted CPS and have left a voicemail to make sure to write down the call attempt in a journal or logbook.

Arrange transportation well in advance of your visitation period

If you own a vehicle, make sure all tire pressures have been checked and that the vehicle is gassed up and ready to drive for a visit with your child. This may seem overkill, but please be aware that your CPS caseworker will not see it as a problem with your vehicle if you fail to show up for a visitation session. Instead, it will be a problem with you and your parenting skills and priorities if you fail to arrive on time for a visitation period with your child.

On the other hand, if you do not have transportation to get to your meeting, you should work out a ride well in advance of the hearing. Be communicative with the person who will be providing you with transportation. If they need you to be ready early so that they may drop you off at the visitation location a little early, then you ought to be prepared to do that if it means getting to the appointment at all.

In general, waiting until the last minute to do anything when it comes to planning for your CPS case is foolish, but especially so in the area of visitation of your child. Ensure that you can arrive on time and stay the entire length of the prearranged visitation time.

Our last few tips on taking advantage of visitation with your child- tomorrow’s blog post from the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC

Join us tomorrow as we go over final tips on being at your best during a visitation period during your CPS case. If you have any immediate questions or concerns for our attorneys, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC. One of our licensed family law attorneys can meet with you for a free-of-charge consultation where your questions can be answered.

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4. Child Custody Basics in Texas
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7. Texas Parental Visitation – Texas Standard Possession Orders in Harris and Montgomery County, Texas – Part 1
8. Supervised Visitation in a Texas Divorce: Can it happen to me?
9. Texas Parental Relocation
10. Geographic Restrictions in Child Visitation Orders 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 essential 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. The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC handles CPS defense cases in Houston, Texas, Cypress, Klein, Humble, Kingwood, Tomball, The Woodlands, the FM 1960 area, or surrounding areas, including Harris County, Montgomery County, Liberty County, Chambers County, Galveston County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, and Waller County.

Bryan Joseph Fagan( Attorney )

Bryan Fagan, a native of Atascocita, Texas, is a dedicated family law attorney inspired by John Grisham’s “The Pelican Brief.” He is the first lawyer in his family, which includes two adopted brothers. Bryan’s commitment to family is personal and professional; he cared for his grandmother with Alzheimer’s while completing his degree and attended the South Texas College of Law at night.

Married with three children, Bryan’s personal experiences enrich his understanding of family dynamics, which is central to his legal practice. He specializes in family law, offering innovative and efficient legal services. A certified member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, Bryan is part of an elite group of legal professionals committed to ongoing education and high-level expertise.

His legal practice covers divorce, custody disputes, property disputes, adoption, paternity, and mediation. Bryan is also experienced in drafting marital property agreements. He leads a team dedicated to complex family law cases and protecting families from false CPS allegations.

Based in Houston, Bryan is active in the Houston Family Law Sector of the Houston Bar Association and various family law groups in Texas. His deep understanding of family values and his professional dedication make him a compassionate advocate for families navigating Texas family law.