When Child Protection Comes
Fla. Stat. 39.301 — what the investigator tells a subject when an investigation begins
At the start. Upon commencing an investigation, the child protective investigator informs any subject of the investigators' names and credentials, the purpose of the investigation, the right to obtain their own attorney and how information they provide may be used, the possible outcomes and services, and the parent's right to be engaged as fully as possible in determining the problem and the remedy.
Duties too. The parent is also told of the duty to report any change in the child's residence until the investigation closes, and to report a preexisting medical diagnosis the section names within 10 days.
Recording. The investigator fully informs parents of their rights and options, including opportunities for audio or video recording of the investigators' interviews with parents or children.
At the close. The department gives the person alleged to have caused the harm, and the parent, a summary of findings and information about the right to access confidential reports.
Removal of a child, emergency custody, and the court hearings that follow are set out in other parts of the law that are not on this page. What a particular investigation means for a family is a question for a licensed Florida attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Fla. Stat. 39.301 — Initiation of protective investigations
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Florida attorney.