What Happens after the Fact-finding Hearing?
If the court finds that the allegations have not been proven: the court will dismiss the petition and return the child to his or her home. If the court decides that the child has been abused or neglected: A dispositional hearing will be scheduled so that the court may consider what to do in the best interests of the child. Before the dispositional hearing, if the child has not already been removed from the home and the court finds that removal would be best for the child, the child will be removed and “remanded” to the agency’s custody. The child may be placed in foster care or with other suitable persons until the court makes its final disposition. The court then orders an investigation of the child’s home and family by the Administration for Children’s Services or the Probation Department. In some cases, the court orders an evaluation by the Mental Health Services. Reports are prepared to help the judge decide how best to protect the child.
