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September 2013Vol. 14, No. 7Guide for Fathers Involved With Child Welfare

A 2012 toolkit produced by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) was written for fathers with open Child Protective Services (CPS) cases. The guide provides advice from fathers who have been involved with CPS and thoroughly explains the child welfare and judicial components of the process, including:

  • An overview of what CPS is and what it does
  • Who the major players are—caseworker, judge, court appointed special advocates, guardian ad litem
  • Legal questions/issues and information on and tips related to working with a lawyer
  • The court—what fathers can expect, how they should act, and the importance of knowing their rights
  • What a service plan is and why it is important
  • Visitation, including activity ideas for fathers based on the age of the child

The toolkit, available in both English and Spanish, also provides a "dictionary for dads" of common child welfare terms and a section for fathers to enter the contact information for the individuals involved in their child welfare case.

The Father's Toolkit: A Guide to Navigating Child Protective Services is available on the DFPS website:

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/Family_Based_Support/Fathers_Matter/tips_resources.asp