When Child Protection Comes
23 Pa.C.S. 6368 — begun within 24 hours, oral notice before an interview, and completed within 60 days
When it starts. The investigation begins immediately if emergency protective custody is needed or the report does not show whether it is, and within 24 hours of receipt of the report in all other cases.
Before an interview. Before interviewing a subject of the report, other than the alleged victim, the county agency orally notifies the subject of the existence of the report, the subject's rights to counsel and other basic rights, the rights to amendment or expungement, and the right to have an attorney present during the interview. Written notice follows within 72 hours, unless delayed as the section allows.
Sixty days. Investigations are completed within 60 days in all cases, and a delay beyond 30 days is explained in the record.
The final determination. Within three business days after receiving the results, the department sends notice of the final determination to the subjects of the report, including the perpetrator's right to appeal an indicated finding within 90 days of the date of notice and to a fair hearing, where the agency must prove its case by substantial evidence.
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 Pennsylvania attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- 23 Pa.C.S. 6368 — Investigation of reports
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.