If false allegations of child abuse have been brought against you in San Mateo County, a suspected child abuse report was likely sent to San Mateo Child Protective Services (CPS). The allegations would commonly then be investigated by a social worker, whose job is to determine whether or not the allegations are true.
If the social worker and her supervisor conclude from the information gathered during the investigation that the allegations are substantiated, they will forward your name for listing on to California’s child abuse and neglect central registry, known as the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI). The child abuse index is maintained by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), similar to criminal records.
If your name is sent to listed on the California child abuse index, the county will notify you within five days that you have a right to have a Grievance Hearing, during which you can attempt to persuade the county to take your name off the registry. In San Mateo County, the hearings take place at 472 Harbor Boulevard, Building C, Belmont, CA 94002. That office handles cases from all cities in the county, including:
Belmont, Burlingame, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, and South San Francisco.
San Mateo County does not hold many Child Abuse Central Index Grievance Hearings, compared to other counties. However, approximately half of all hearings result in the accused’s name remaining on the child abuse index. (These statistics were provided to me by the county and are based on a small sample size. None of the hearings referred to herein involved clients represented by me.)
The best way to improve the odds of convincing the county to remove your name from the CACI is to hire a San Mateo County Child Abuse Central Index Grievance Hearing attorney who knows the law and knows the process. I would be honored to represent your interests in trying to get your name off the list, just as I have many other clients. To speak me today, call 619-792-1451 or send me an email.