Houston CPS & Child Welfare Lawyer
When Child Protective Services contacts your family, the deadlines are short and the stakes are your children. Our Child Welfare practice is led by Bobbie Young, R.N., J.D., Board Certified, Child Welfare Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Talk to a Lawyer Before You Talk to CPS
A knock from a CPS investigator, a call from a school counselor, or a request to sign a safety plan can turn your week upside down. What you say and sign in the first few days can shape the whole case. You are allowed to speak with a lawyer first.
Ramos Law Group represents parents, grandparents and other relatives in cases brought by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), the agency that runs CPS. We help from the first contact with an investigator through hearings, service plans and trial.
Who We Help
- Parents under CPS investigation who want to understand their rights before an interview, a home visit or a drug test.
- Parents whose children have been removed and who need to prepare for the first court hearing.
- Grandparents and relatives who want to care for a child through a kinship placement or desires to ask the court for custody of the child.
- Parents facing termination of parental rights who want to defend their relationship with their children.
- Foster parents who want to adopt or to be heard about a child in their care.
CPS Cases We Handle
- CPS investigations and caseworker interviews
- Safety plans and parental child safety placements
- Family Based Safety Services
- Court Ordered Participation in Services
- Medical neglect and child injury allegations
- Emergency removal and the full adversary hearing
- Service plans, family visits and reunification
- Termination of parental rights defense
- Kinship and grandparent placement
- Representation for foster parents after termination only
- Family law cases that overlap with CPS, such as custody, modifications, child support, and protective orders
What Happens After CPS Removes a Child in Texas
Texas law generally requires a full adversary hearing within 14 days after CPS takes a child into custody. At that hearing, a judge decides whether the child can safely return home or will stay in the temporary custody of CPS. Courts can briefly postpone the hearing, but the window to prepare is still quite small.
If the case continues, a service plan will be offered to the parents, and the court holds regular hearings to review parents’ progress on the service plan. Most CPS lawsuits must be resolved within about a year, with one possible extension. Early, organized work on the service plan and the evidence often matters more than anything that happens at trial.
What to Do Right Now
It is best to consult an attorney prior to speaking to CPS
- Stay calm and be polite with the caseworker, even if you disagree.
- Ask for everything in writing, including any safety plan, before you sign it.
- Know that you can record your interview. Texas law lets you make an audio or video recording of your interview with the CPS investigator.
- Write down names, dates and what was said at every contact with CPS.
- Call a lawyer before your next meeting or hearing.
A Lawyer Who Is Also a Nurse
Mrs. Young has practiced law since 1997 and has been a registered nurse since 1983. She spent more than 30 years at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston, much of it in neuroscience critical care. Since 2022, she has been Board Certified in Child Welfare Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Many CPS cases turn on medical facts: an injury, a diagnosis, a child with special needs, mental illness, or an allegation of medical neglect. Mrs. Young has expertise in —- reading medical records and questioningwhat it says. Family courts regularly appoint her to represent children and parents in CPS and custody cases. Meet Bobbie Young.
Serving Families Across the Houston Area
We handle CPS and child welfare cases in Harris County, Fort Bend County and Montgomery County, with offices in Houston, Sugar Land and The Woodlands.
Frequently Asked Questions About CPS Cases
Do I have to let CPS into my home?
No. Without a court order or an emergency, you can generally decline an entry request. Saying no can also affect how CPS proceeds, so talk with a lawyer about the best approach for your situation.
Should I sign a safety plan?
No. A safety plan is an agreement, and it can limit where your children live or who can be with them. Ask for a copy and have a lawyer review it before you sign whenever possible.
Will the court appoint a lawyer for me?
It depends. In a CPS lawsuit, a parent who cannot afford a lawyer may ask the court to appoint one. You also have the right to hire your own lawyer at any point in the case.
Can grandparents get custody of a child in a CPS case?
Yes. Relatives are often considered for placement, and some can ask the court to name them as conservators. Acting early gives you the best chance to be considered.
How long does a CPS case last?
It depends. Most CPS lawsuits in Texas must be resolved within about a year after the court names DFPS temporary conservator, with one possible six-month extension.
Talk With Our Child Welfare Team
Have more questions? See our CPS questions answered. Everyday matters in a CPS case. Call 713-225-6200 or connect with us online to schedule a consultation with Ramos Law Group.
Facing a CPS Case in Houston? Talk to Our Child Welfare Team
Ramos Law Group represents parents, grandparents and relatives in CPS cases across Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties. Call us today at 713-903-2753 to schedule a confidential consultation.