Rhode Island DCYF & Family Court Experience Project

What We Are Trying to Learn

We want to determine whether unrelated families report recurring patterns involving possible due-process violations; delays in reunification services or evaluations; delays later relied upon in changing permanency goals or seeking termination of parental rights; visitation problems; inaccurate or disputed information presented to Family Court; failures to make reasonable reunification efforts; or abuse, neglect, unsafe placement, exploitation, injury, inappropriate restraint, or children becoming missing while in state care.

Why dates matter: Similar documented timelines across unrelated cases can reveal a pattern. We are especially interested in when removal occurred, when services were ordered, when they actually became available, when visitation changed, and when the permanency goal or TPR petition changed the case.

A Possible Comprehensive Review

In March 2026, the Rhode Island Attorney General published a comprehensive report following a years-long investigation into child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence and the institution's response. That investigation reviewed more than 250,000 pages of records and included survivor and witness interviews.

A review involving DCYF and Family Court would involve different laws, records, agencies, privacy protections, and investigative authority. The comparison is the method: listen to affected people, gather records lawfully, follow the evidence, identify recurring patterns, and recommend reforms where the evidence supports them.

Information submitted through this project can help identify issues deserving further examination. When Alan Gordon takes office as Attorney General, these reports could help inform the establishment of an official, legally authorized review or investigation into systemic misconduct or failures involving DCYF, consistent with the powers and responsibilities of that office.

No particular outcome is promised. A submission does not mean that a violation will be found, an investigation or prosecution will be opened, or an individual Family Court case will be reopened.

Protect Children's Privacy

Do not submit unredacted confidential Family Court or DCYF records through this public form. Do not enter a child's full name, date of birth, Social Security number, medical details, home or foster-home address, or other identifying information.

Submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not substitute for an appeal, court filing, police report, complaint to the Office of the Child Advocate, judicial-misconduct complaint, or other legal process. You may indicate that supporting documents exist; a secure process can be arranged separately if documents are later requested.

DCYF & Family Court Experience Questionnaire

Answer only what you are comfortable answering. Each individual questionnaire question is optional, but at least one questionnaire answer is required to submit the form. All identifying and contact information remains optional. The truth-and-accuracy attestation at the end is required.

1About Your ExperienceYour roleCounty or general area No street address.Approximate year the matter beganIs the matter still active?

2Removal, Notice & Court ProcessWas a child removed?Approximate removal dateWere the reasons clearly explained?How soon was the first court hearing?Was the parent represented by a lawyer?Describe any concern about notice, counsel, evidence, witnesses, ability to be heard, or another procedural issue.

3Reunification ServicesServices required or recommendedWere required services unavailable or substantially delayed?Describe each delay, including approximate dates and wait time.Do you believe delay outside the parent's control was later cited as a reason the child could not return home?If yes, what was said or written?

4VisitationWas parent-child visitation offered?How often was it supposed to occur?Were visits cancelled or prevented?Who or what caused cancellations, to the best of your knowledge?Was visitation reduced or made more restrictive? Explain.

5Permanency & Termination of Parental RightsWas reunification initially the goal?Was the goal later changed?Approximate date of goal changeWas a TPR petition filed?Approximate TPR filing dateWere required services still incomplete or unavailable when TPR was sought?Outcome, if knownAnything important about the permanency/TPR timeline?

6What Happened to the Child in State Care?Did you observe or learn of any of the following?Describe what happened without identifying the child.If the child went missing/absent, approximately how long?Was the problem reported to DCYF, police, Child Advocate, court, or another authority? What response followed?

7Supporting RecordsWhich records do you have? Do not upload them here.Would you be willing to provide relevant records later through a secure process?

8Your AccountWhat is the most important thing investigators should understand about this experience?What, if anything, do you believe should be investigated?

9Optional Contact Information

This entire section is optional. You may leave every field blank. Do not enter a child's contact information.

Your nameEmailPhone I may be contacted for clarification or to discuss records.

Your questionnaire responses will be stored in a private data file outside the public website directory. The form does not accept document uploads. Please do not enter a child's name or other unnecessary identifying information, and do not paste confidential Family Court or DCYF records into this form. If supporting records are later needed, a separate secure process can be arranged.

Required: I affirm that the information I am submitting is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Accuracy Matters

Whether your experience was good, bad, or mixed, we want accurate information. The purpose is not to tell Rhode Islanders what happened inside the child-welfare system. It is to gather enough evidence to find out.