What Are 'Specific Steps'?

When the Department of Children and Families (DCF) becomes involved with your family, Connecticut juvenile court may issue "specific steps" orders. Understanding what specific steps are and how to comply with them is crucial for parents working toward reunification with their children.

Definition of Specific Steps

Specific steps are court-ordered requirements that parents must complete to demonstrate their ability to safely parent their children. Under Connecticut General Statutes, juvenile court judges issue specific steps orders outlining exactly what a parent must do before their children can be returned to their care or before the court will terminate DCF involvement.

Think of specific steps as a roadmap toward reunification. The court identifies specific concerns about the child's safety and welfare, then creates concrete, measurable tasks the parent must accomplish to address those concerns.

Common Types of Specific Steps

While specific steps are tailored to each family's unique circumstances, Connecticut juvenile courts commonly order parents to:

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment

• Complete a substance abuse evaluation and follow all treatment recommendations
• Participate in individual therapy or counseling
• Attend psychiatric evaluations and take prescribed medications as directed
• Submit to random drug and alcohol testing
• Attend and complete substance abuse programs (inpatient or outpatient)

Parenting Skills and Education

• Complete parenting classes or parenting education programs
• Participate in parent-child interaction therapy
• Attend anger management classes
• Complete domestic violence education programs

Housing and Financial Stability

• Obtain and maintain safe, stable housing appropriate for children
• Secure and maintain stable employment or income
• Complete financial literacy or budgeting courses

Visitation and Communication

• Attend all scheduled visits with your children
• Maintain consistent communication with DCF social workers
• Cooperate with all home visits and assessments
• Comply with supervised visitation requirements

Child Safety Measures

• Terminate or limit contact with individuals who pose a risk to children
• Obtain restraining orders when necessary
• Complete home safety assessments and implement recommended changes
• Ensure children receive necessary medical and educational services

Importance of Compliance

Complying with specific steps is not optional—it is a legal requirement imposed by juvenile court. Your ability to complete specific steps on time demonstrates to the court that you are willing and able to address the issues that brought DCF into your life and that you are prepared to safely parent your children.

Failure to complete specific steps can result in:

• Extended DCF involvement and supervision
• Delayed reunification with your children
• Reduced or restricted visitation rights
• DCF filing for termination of parental rights (TPR)

Timeline and Progress Reviews

Connecticut law establishes strict timelines for DCF cases. The juvenile court holds regular review hearings (typically every 90 days) to monitor your progress on specific steps. At these hearings, DCF presents reports on your compliance, and the court determines whether to:

• Continue the current case plan and specific steps
• Modify specific steps based on progress or changed circumstances
• Return children to your care
• Move toward termination of parental rights if progress is insufficient

Documenting Your Compliance

Keep detailed records of everything you do to comply with specific steps:

• Obtain completion certificates from all programs and classes
• Keep attendance records and appointment confirmations
• Document all visits with your children
• Save all communications with DCF workers
• Maintain evidence of employment, housing, and income
• Keep copies of drug test results showing compliance

Your attorney can help you organize this documentation and present it effectively to the court.

Challenges and Obstacles

Parents facing specific steps orders often encounter barriers to compliance, including:

• Long waiting lists for treatment programs or counseling
• Transportation difficulties getting to appointments
• Work schedule conflicts with required programs
• Financial barriers to paying for services
• Lack of available childcare during appointments

If you face obstacles to completing specific steps, inform your attorney immediately. In some cases, the court may modify specific steps to address barriers or provide resources to help you comply. However, the court expects you to make good faith efforts to overcome challenges—not simply give up.

The Role of Your Attorney

An experienced DCF defense attorney helps you:

• Understand exactly what each specific step requires
• Challenge inappropriate or impossible specific steps
• Document your compliance and present evidence to the court
• Request modifications when circumstances change or barriers arise
• Advocate for reunification when you have substantially complied
• Prepare you for review hearings and permanency hearings

What Happens After Completion

Completing all specific steps does not automatically result in case closure or reunification. The court must determine that:

• You have substantially complied with all specific steps
• The circumstances that led to DCF involvement have been resolved
• Your children can safely return to your care
• You have demonstrated sustained progress and behavioral change

Even after reunification, DCF may maintain supervision or require you to continue certain services to ensure the safety and stability of your family.

Related Resources

For more information about DCF cases and protecting your parental rights:

• DCF Defense Legal Services
• What Happens During a DCF Investigation
• Connecticut Juvenile Court Process
• All Legal Resources