Medical/health issues - caretaker

Affirmed for neglect and reversed for abuse - DCF did have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect by Appellant daycare provider for falling asleep while supervising children in her daycare when 1) the three children were consistent with their own and each others' testimonies; 2) Appellant…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect. The evidence was sufficient to determine that the Appellant parent's actions resulted in failure to provide minimally adequate medical care. However, DCF did not show that the Appellants posed a substantial risk to the…

Affirmed - DCF had sufficient evidence to take children away from Appellant Foster Parents where Appellant Foster Parents violated rules in a written and verbal agreement they made with DCF by physically disciplining the children.

Affirmed - DCF did not act abuse its discretion in determining the appropriate level of care for the child; even though the kinship family created an increased health risk by smoking in the presence of an asthmatic child and the birth mother wanted the child to stay with the Appellant. There is a…

Affirmed - The fair hearing officer found reasonable cause to support The Department’s inding of neglect where the mother displayed alcohol abuse, a history of prostitution, risky and impulsive behaviors, expressing no desire to care for the children, leaving them unattended in the care of roommate…

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to believe that the child had been neglected where the Appellant had a history of prostitution and substance use, displayed risky and impulsive behaviors, and expressed no desire to care for the children. In addition, Appellant left her children in the care of a…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect because 1) the appellant took actions necessary to provide the child with minimally adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, supervision, emotional stability and growth, and other essential care 2) the Department's…

Affirmed - DCF did have reasonable reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect. The Department provided sufficient evidence that the appellant mother was misusing her child's Adderall prescription and had a history of alcohol abuse in the presence of the children. Moreover, DCF showed that the…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect. DCF originally determined that the Appellant mother was suffering from post-partum depression in 2006 and had expressed a potential urge to harm her child. However, at the time of the hearing there was no evidence that the…

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to deny the Appellants' foster parent application where 1) the Appellants were unable to provide the Department all of the necessary documentation to complete the foster parent application in a timely manner and where 2) the individual serving as the medical…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a 51A report of neglect where Appellant used physical discipline on her teenage daughter on one occasion by reactively slapping her across the face for sneaking out of the house to be with an older boy.

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support allegations of neglect by the Appellant's partner (the children's biological father) where no credible evidence was presented to suggest that the partner failed to provide the children with adequate care. The 51A reports filed against the…

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…

Reversed - DCF did not have a reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect because there was no evidence that the Appellant's daughter was impacted by her use of marijuana during pregnancy, or that it had placed the daughter in medical danger or risk of injury. Appellant was able to show through…

Affirmed - DCF had sufficient evidence to find neglect where Appellant left the child with child’s mother overnight despite knowing that it was possible that she had a long history of substance use, had relapsed, and might not have been able to provide adequate care and supervision for the child.

Affirmed - DCF had reasonable cause to revoke Appellant’s unrestricted family resources license when (1) Appellant had only hosted one foster child over the course of fifteen months in violation of DCF policy; (2) it was noted the Appellant had provided exemplary care and invaluable Spanish-language…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect where Appellant Daycare Provider left two children with her brother while she took the other two with her to get her diabetes medication. Appellant was well enough to drive and did not place the children with her in any…

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support allegations of neglect against the Appellant (the child's mother) where, though alcohol use may have been somewhat of an issue for the Appellant, it was not determined with certainty to be a contributing factor to her fainting and getting…