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Grandparent Custody in South Carolina DSS Cases
In my South Carolina practice, grandparents ask of they can get custody of their grandchild in a DSS case. So-called third-party victims of child abuse and neglect can play a vital part in any given...
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But I’m Their Mother! They Need Me!
I cannot begin to count the times that I have heard a client (usually the mother) say, “How can DSS take my children from me? I am their mother. They need me!” And I usually agree. They do need...
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Can the Department of Social Services Delegate Investigation to Third Parties?
I recently had a case where DSS referred my clients to Carolina Youth Development Center (CYDC) to see if it could meet with the family in order to determine if there were any services which CYDC might...
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Do I Need an Attorney in My South Carolina DSS Case?
I’m often asked if a party to a Department of Social Services case needs an attorney. Sometimes, they have even been told they don’t need an attorney by the guardian ad litem (“GAL”) or someone else....
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Department of Social Services Relative Placement Plans
In an earlier post I noted that DSS could offer as safety plan as an alternative to removal of the child. (See What Options Does DSS Have? Posted on January 19, 2013.) The South Carolina Department...
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Intervening in a DSS case in South Carolina
There are many reasons why third parties (e.g., grandparents, aunts and uncles or friends) may wish to intervene in a child abuse or neglect case. The most common is so that they can have input into...
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Daniel’s Law (Part One)
Life’s unfortunate circumstances may so impact a mother that she must decide that she simply cannot raise her newborn infant. Too numerous are the instances where a new born infant is found abandoned...
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Daniel’s Law (Part Two)
When life’s unfortunate circumstances so impact a mother that she must decide that she simply cannot raise her newborn infant, she may leave the infant in the care of a safe haven. A third party may...
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DSS Safety Plan: The Ultimate Goal Must be Reunification
Many times DSS asks a family to allow their children to go live with a family member while DSS completes its investigation into allegations of child abuse or neglect. This accomplished by way of a...
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DSS Treatment Services After Case Investigation
Services from DSS after case investigation When DSS completes its investigation into new allegations of child abuse, it can, in its discretion, elect to offer treatment services to the family without...
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