Abuse/Neglect of Children

The Family Division handles cases filed by the state involving abused or neglected children. The purpose of this process is to protect children, keep families together when possible, provide assistance to parents so they can raise healthy and safe children, and to provide treatment and services to children who are placed outside their home. 

Abuse/Neglect Forms

Protocols

• Protocols Relative to Abuse and Neglect Cases and Permanency Planning
• Protocols Relative to Abuse and Neglect Cases and Permanency Planning – Legal Updates and NH Supreme Court Summaries 2003-2018
• Protocols Relative to RSA 169-C Post-Permanency Hearings for Older Youth with a Permanency Plan of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA)
• Protocols Relative to Children and Youth in Court RSA 169-C Child Protection Cases

Training Videos

Chapter 1A, Parental Fitness Hearing

• 11-minute overview of the protocols featuring the Circuit Court, DCYF, CASA and the Judicial Council.
• 20-minute PowerPoint presentation about the protocols featuring the Circuit Court.

Chapter 1B, Missing Parent 

• 21-minute overview of the protocols featuring the Circuit Court, DCYF, CASA and the Judicial Council.
• 30-minute PowerPoint presentation about the protocols featuring the Circuit Court.

Chapter 11, Permanency Hearings and Post-Permanency Hearings

• 50-minute PowerPoint presentation about the protocols featuring the Circuit Court.

Chapters 12, 13, 14 and 15, Termination of Parental Rights, Surrender, Voluntary Mediation and Adoption

• 10-minute overview of the protocols featuring the Circuit Court and DCYF. 

2015 Protocols Relative to RSA 169-C Post-Permanency Hearings for Older Youth with a Permanency Plan of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA)

• 11-minute overview of the protocols, and a mock APPLA post-permanency hearing, featuring the Circuit Court, CASA and DCYF.
• 6-minute video (“How to Become a Primary Caring Adult (PCA) for a Youth 16 and Older in the Custody of DCYF”) that explains the important role a PCA plays in an older youth’s life, including during a youth’s time in foster care and after a youth ages out and exits the system. Features DCYF as well as New Hampshire youth and a Primary Caring Adult.

2012 Protocols Relative to Children and Youth in Court 

• 8-minute video (“Court . . . I’m Going”) about the protocols and what children and youth should expect when attending a court hearing. Features the Circuit Court, CASA and DCYF.

Surveys

• CASA GAL or GAL Survey (Print Copy)
• Youth Survey (Print Copy) -This survey is for youth to tell us about their experience going to court. It should take a minute or two to complete. We’d like feedback if a youth’s permanency plan is APPLA and the youth recently attended a Post-Permanency Hearing in an abuse/neglect case (excluding 45-day Orientation Post-Permanency Hearing). 
• Foster Parent and Relative Caregiver (Print Copy)