Substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect may result in involvement from the Vermont Department for Children and Families – Family Services Division (commonly referred to as DCF though it’s important to note that DCF includes several other divisions in addition to FSD). Types of involvement include:
- Protective custody, when a child is court ordered into the legal custody of the Commissioner of the Department for Children and Families, and placed in a Division approved foster/kinship home, stabilization/residential program, or another placement approved by the Division and centered around the child’s needs
- Conditional custody, when the child is in the legal custody of a court appointed guardian who must adhere to the conditions ordered by the Juvenile Court, with DCF providing supervision and services to ensure the child’s safety. Appointed guardians can include but are not limited to: parents, relatives, fictive kin, teachers, other caregivers known to the child, etc.
- Family support, when DCF provides support to families without court involvement on a voluntary basis
The chart below shows the number of cases by type of DCF involvement.
Data note: Custody cases and conditional custody cases are reflective of a child count, whereas family support cases reflect a family count.
Data Source
Vermont Department for Children and Families. FSD Quarterly Management Reports, Q3 annually. Data provided by the Division Quality Assurance Supervisor.
Related Indicators
Children under 9 in out-of-home protective custody – The indicator chart shows the number of children under 9 by age group in out-of-home protective custody.
Related Indicators
Children Living in Kinship Care – The indicator chart shows the percentage of children living in a household with a grandparent or other relative as the head of household.