§ 17a-101h — Coordination of investigatory activities. Interview with child. Reporter to provide information. Consent of parent, guardian or responsible person.

Connecticut § 17a-101h

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 17a: Social and Human Services and Resources
• Ch. 319a: Child Welfare

Text

Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any person authorized to conduct an investigation of abuse or neglect shall coordinate investigatory activities in order to minimize the number of interviews of any child and share information with other persons authorized to conduct an investigation of child abuse or neglect, as appropriate. A person reporting child abuse or neglect shall provide any person authorized to conduct an investigation of child abuse or neglect with all information related to the investigation that is in the possession or control of the person reporting child abuse or neglect, except as expressly prohibited by state or federal law. The commissioner shall obtain the consent of parents or guardians or other persons responsible for the care of the child to any interview with a child, except that such consent shall not be required when the department has reason to believe such parent or guardian or other person responsible for the care of the child or member of the child's household is the perpetrator of the alleged abuse or neglect or that seeking such consent would place the child at imminent risk of physical harm. If consent is not required to conduct the interview, such interview shall be conducted in the presence of a disinterested adult unless immediate access to the child is necessary to protect the child from imminent risk of physical harm and a disinterested adult is not available after reasonable search. For purposes of this section, “child” includes any victim described in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 17a-101a.

Legislative History

(P.A. 96-246, S. 10; P.A. 11-93, S. 17; P.A. 13-52, S. 1; P.A. 15-205, S. 5; P.A. 18-67, S. 8.) History: P.A. 11-93 added provision requiring person reporting abuse or neglect to provide information related to the investigation and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-52 added provision allowing commissioner to interview a child without parental consent if there is reason to believe that seeking consent would place the child at imminent risk of physical harm; P.A. 15-205 added provision re meaning of “child”; P.A. 18-67 added reference to neglect re consent not required when department has reason to believe parent, guardian or person responsible for care of child or member of child's household is perpetrator, effective July 1, 2018.