When Child Protection Comes
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 210.145 — identification, and written material on rights including the right to contact an attorney, before the visit
Before the visit. If the parent or alleged perpetrator is present during a visit by the person investigating, that person presents identification, says who they are and what their role is, and provides written material on the parent's rights regarding the visit, including the right to contact an attorney.
Time to read it. The parent is given a reasonable amount of time, not more than five minutes, to read the material or have it read to them before the visit begins, except where the child faces an immediate threat or danger.
The child first. When responding to an investigation, the person responding first ensures the child's safety through direct observation and communication with the child.
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 Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 210.145 — Child abuse reports; division duties and protocols
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.