CT HB05363

Requires persons conducting child abuse and neglect investigations to coordinate activities to minimize the number of interviews with any child and share information with other authorized investigators.

Mandates that persons reporting child abuse or neglect provide all related information in their possession to investigators, except where prohibited by state or federal law.

Requires the Department of Children and Families to obtain parental or guardian consent before interviewing a child, except when there is documented compelling reason to believe seeking consent will place the child at imminent risk of physical harm.

Requires interviews conducted without consent to be conducted in the presence of a disinterested adult, unless immediate access to the child is necessary to protect from imminent physical harm and no disinterested adult is available after reasonable search.

Effective October 1, 2012.