Criminal record/activity - other adult household member/visitor

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect where when Appellant mother was at the police department performing a court ordered child exchange with biological father for her scheduled visitation, she initiated a physical altercation with the father, punching him in the face…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support the allegation of neglect where the Appellant was found to be the victim of domestic violence who took the appropriate steps to seek help when she was assaulted by the subject child's father. Additionally, the Appellant acknowledged that her…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect for the children's Appellant mother. There was insufficient evidence that the children's mother met the department's definition of neglect. While the children did engage in rough playfighting with their stepfather, which…

Affirmed - The Department's had reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect because 1) there was sufficient evidence an emotional impact on the children of fear of Appellants physically disciplining them 2) the Appellants minimized sexual abuse of a child 3) the Appellants had poor judgement…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to deny the Appellant's kinship foster care license. In reaching the decision that the Appellant failed to meet licensing standards, the Department relied on statements from one of the four children in the Appellant'a care (J) as well as statements from…

DCF did not have reasonable cause to revoke the Appellant's license to be a foster parent. The Department made the decision to revoke the Appellant's foster care license following a supported 51B report for neglect against the Appellant after the Appellant left the child in question, the Appellant's…

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to support the 51A decision for neglect against the Appellant (maternal grandmother and guardian of the child "N"). A Probate and Family Court Order from June 24, 2014 ordered the Appellant to continue to serve as the guardian of N due to a history of substance…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support the 51A decision for sexual abuse against the Appellant (the boyfriend of the biological mother of children F, S, and T). There was insufficient evidence to support allegations that the Appellant had taken his clothes off in front of the three…

Affirmed - DCF had sufficient evidence to revoke the Appellant's kinship foster care license. The Appellant was an open kinship foster care provider for her niece, but the Department determined that the Appellant failed to meet foster care licensing standards after 1) a 51A report was filed alleging…

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to support a 51A report for neglect against the Appellant (kinship foster parent) where the Appellant allowed two unapproved caretakers to have unsupervised contact with the child. In the first documented instance, the unapproved caretaker had a criminal record…

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect against the Appellant guardian where: (1) the children's mother and her ex-boyfriend had a previously supported 51A report due to a history of domestic violence and substance abuse, and as a result were not allowed to be alone with…