Client Rights

When providing services to families, agencies must ensure the protection of client rights, including the rights of children and youth. This section provides information about client rights and the child welfare grievance process. It also offers resources on how central registries and the expungement processes are established and maintained from State to State. 

Use the following resources to learn more about client rights in child welfare.

Children and youth

Foster Care Bill of Rights
National Conference of State Legislatures (2019)
Informs children and youth in foster care of their rights and responsibilities within the child welfare system.

NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Child Welfare
National Association of Social Workers (2013)
Describes how child welfare professionals should engage children, youth, and families and the expectations that clients should have from caseworkers.

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Grievance procedures

State agencies designate an ombudsman office to monitor the delivery of services and to handle customer complaints related to child welfare. Generally, in response to a complaint, a review or investigation must occur at the local/county level before the State agency becomes involved. If it cannot be resolved at the local/county level, the next step is to contact the appropriate State office to discuss and/or resolve disagreements with the local agency.

Child Welfare State Complaint Offices
Series Title Related Organizations Lists
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability View
Year Published 2016
Includes contact information for all Child Welfare State Complaint Offices, when available.

Children's Ombudsman Offices: Office of the Child Advocate
National Conference of State Legislatures (2018)
Provides information on States that have an ombudsman office and reviews the role of these offices in overseeing State children's services.

From Complaint to Resolution: Understanding the Child Welfare Grievance Process
Series Title Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
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Year Published 2016
Provides parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and other caregivers with information about the best way to resolve their differences with a service provider or other child welfare professional. Since child welfare agency policies and procedures are State-specific, this factsheet presents information from a national perspective and points to additional resources about where to find information related to a particular State. The information and resources provided in this factsheet address the majority of complaints associated with the CPS system.

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Central registries and expungement

Disclosure of Confidential Child Abuse and Neglect Records
Series Title State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability View
Download (PDF - 773KB)
Year Published 2017
Discusses state laws detailing the officials and entities that may have access to the confidential records of child abuse and neglect reports and investigations, the circumstances under which information may be disclosed, and the appropriate use of confidential information. Public disclosure of information in cases of child abuse-related fatalities or near fatalities also is addressed. Summaries of laws for all states and U.S. territories are included.
Establishment and Maintenance of Central Registries for Child Abuse or Neglect Reports
Series Title State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability View
Download (PDF - 438KB)
Year Published 2018
Examines State laws for maintaining records of child abuse and neglect. Almost all States maintain a statewide central registry, which is a centralized database of child abuse and neglect investigation records. In some States, the individual State agencies that received the reports of suspected abuse or neglect are required to maintain these records. Central registry reports are typically used to aid social services agencies in the investigation, treatment, and prevention of child abuse cases and to maintain statistical information for staffing and funding purposes. Central registry records also are used to conduct background checks on prospective foster and adoptive parents.
Review and Expunction of Central Registries and Reporting Records
Series Title State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability View
Download (PDF - 558KB)
Year Published 2018
Examines State laws and procedures that provide persons who are named as alleged perpetrators in central registry reports the right to review the records and to request administrative hearings to contest the findings and have inaccurate records removed from the registry. Laws that provide for the expunction of old or unsubstantiated reports also are discussed. Summaries of relevant laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

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