When you face legal challenges related to child abuse, child neglect, or child custody, your chances of successfully mounting a strong defense depend on the quality, competence, and experience of the lawyers you hire. The stakes in abuse and neglect cases are quite high both emotionally and financially. Only by choosing an attorney who aggressively represents your interests do you increase the chances of emerging victorious against the plaintiff or defendant.
Steps You Can Take to Prevent Child Abuse
Arguably the most critical child abuse prevention strategy parents can employ is good communication with their children. Encourage your children to share any concerns and problems they may have with you. If you send them to daycare providers or babysitters, screen your child's caretaker or day care provider. Also, make sure you have the right to drop in and visit the provider’s facility at appropriate times.
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In collaboration with the New York State Attorney General's Office, Westchester County employs a nationally recognized child-finding system named Code Adam in public parks and some public buildings. In addition to that, the New York State Amber Alert Plan, a voluntary partnership between law enforcement, broadcasters and others is ready to immediately involve the public, especially motorists, in the search for an abducted child.
New York's Leading Abuse and Divorce Attorneys
The Spodek Law Group P.C., a team of attorneys with more than 50-year experience helping domestic abuse, educational institutions abuse, and nursing home abuse victims, offers reliability and a proven track record to you as well. As advocates with hundreds of abuse and neglect cases successfully concluded to our credit, our New York legal team can use tested legal techniques to defend your case too.
High-Quality Legal Representation in New York
The Spodek Law Group P.C. starts by seeking to understand your legal issues before making a decision on the best strategy to secure victory for divorce and neglect clients. Evaluating each case, which gives the opportunity for providing individualized advice to our customers, is the hallmark of our practice.
You can expect full commitment and excellent services from us always. We have a wealth of knowledge about divorce and child neglect matters to help you make the right choices whether your case is settled out-of-court or before a magistrate. Common allegations in nursing homes include lack of hygiene, use of chemical sedatives, bed sore cases, and emotional abuse by staff.
Accused of Child Abuse in New York?
When a parent struggles with child neglect accusations and the child stays in a children's home for protection, the father or mother feels guilty and helpless. The New York Department of Human Services may begin the legal process to have you pay for dependency and action taken against you for neglect.
The NY social workers may contact you concerning the neglect or abuse of your child. It will help to consult our lawyers for guidance on how to defend yourself. Also, as a teacher or nursing home caretaker accused of abuse, do not risk starting a defense plan without a lawyer's input.
These assertions are often made in the heat of an emotional legal battle, and are sometimes groundless. Regardless of whether these allegations have any validity, you should get in touch with a Yonkers Abuse and Neglect Lawyer right away. Those kinds of accusations can create considerable legal problems if they are not addressed right away.
Some common allegations in child abuse and neglect cases are:
- Physical Abuse, which can include shaking, hitting and biting,
- Emotional or psychological abuse which can include excessive yelling or shaming,
- Sexual Abuse, including inappropriate touching, and
- General Neglect or failure to provide for a child's physical needs.
Any of these kinds of allegations can render irreparable harm to your parent-child relationship. They could potentially jeopardize your parental rights. For example, a child abuse allegation can escalate into criminal charges of endangerment of a child and assault. If you are in a situation like this, you should reach out to a criminal Lawyer in addition to a Yonkers Family Law Attorney.
Your visitation rights with your children could also be at risk. While the case examining allegations is pending, a New York Family Law judge may be wary about awarding you any child custody or visitation. You need to have a Yonkers abuse and neglect lawyer from our office to help make sure that your parental rights are not infringed upon.
What is an Abuse and Neglect Allegation?
NY child abuse laws fall under the penal code and deal with the cruelty suffered by children. Physical maltreatment, exploitation, sexual assault, physical battering are forms of child abuse. Neglect may involve abandonment, the failure to provide food, water, medication, heat, eyeglasses, cleanliness, dentures, and health services.
To the NY Human Services Department, allegations of child maltreatment are a serious issue. Upon the filing of a child abuse case against a parent, the department may authorize the removal of your child for a temporary stay in a relatives' house or foster home.
It is never easy to regain your parental rights after the action by the Social Services. Our attorneys will work with you to prevent your name being entered into the New York registry of child abusers.
How to Respond to Neglect and Abuse Allegations
As much as you possibly can, you need to avoid talking to the investigators looking into the neglect or abuse case. As the case may have both criminal and civil consequences, let our lawyers handle the issue on your behalf.
How You Report Child Abuse or Neglect
In the state of New York,reports of abuse or maltreatment are fielded by the State Central Register. The State Central Register is located in Albany. There is a special telephone hotline which can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The phone number to put in a report is (800) 342-3720. Calls are accepted from the general public, who are able to keep themselves anonymous when reporting, and also from certain professionals who by law are designated as mandated reporters. Reports of abuse or maltreatment can be made for children from birth up to their 18th birthday. Every county has its own Child Protective Services Department. In order for authorities in Yonkers to begin an investigation, a report must first be made to and accepted by the New York State Central Registry.