When Child Protection Comes
Va. Code 63.2-1505 — a finding of founded or unfounded within 45 days
What it determines. An investigation collects the information needed to determine the child's immediate safety needs, the protective and rehabilitative services needed, the risk of future harm, and alternative plans for the child's safety.
Forty-five days. The local department determines within 45 days whether a report is founded or unfounded, and sends a report of that to the Department and to the person who is the subject of the investigation, unless the time is extended on written justification as the section allows.
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 Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Va. Code 63.2-1505 — Investigations by local departments
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.