{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-444.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-444.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-444.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-444.html"}],"law_id":63429,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63429,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-444","catch_line":"Decision to investigate; notice; pursuing administrative remedies or channels of complaint; further investigation; violation of state or federal criminal law; complaint against child-placing agency; petition requesting court jurisdiction or termination of parental rights","history":"2020, c. 1090; 2023, c. 750.","full_text":"A\n\nUpon deciding to investigate a complaint from a complainant or an individual not meeting the definition of complainant, the Ombudsman shall notify the complainant or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant of the decision to investigate and shall notify the Department or local department or children’s residential facility, or child-placing agency of the intention to investigate. If the Ombudsman declines to investigate a complaint or continue an investigation, the Ombudsman shall notify the complainant or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant and the Department or local department, or children’s residential facility, or child-placing agency of the decision and of the reasons for the Ombudsman’s action.B\n\nThe Ombudsman shall advise a complainant of administrative remedies and may advise the individual to pursue all administrative remedies or channels of complaint open to the complainant before pursuing a complaint with the Ombudsman. Subsequent to the administrative processing of a complaint, the Ombudsman may conduct further investigations of a complaint upon the request of the complainant or upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative.C\n\nIf the Ombudsman finds in the course of an investigation that an individual’s action is in violation of state or federal criminal law, the Ombudsman shall immediately report that fact to the local attorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General. If the complaint is against a child-placing agency, the Ombudsman shall refer the matter to the Department or local department for further action with respect to licensing or approval.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":231146,"text":"Upon deciding to investigate a complaint from a complainant or an individual not meeting the definition of complainant, the Ombudsman shall notify the complainant or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant of the decision to investigate and shall notify the Department or local department or children’s residential facility, or child-placing agency of the intention to investigate. If the Ombudsman declines to investigate a complaint or continue an investigation, the Ombudsman shall notify the complainant or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant and the Department or local department, or children’s residential facility, or child-placing agency of the decision and of the reasons for the Ombudsman’s action.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":231147,"text":"The Ombudsman shall advise a complainant of administrative remedies and may advise the individual to pursue all administrative remedies or channels of complaint open to the complainant before pursuing a complaint with the Ombudsman. Subsequent to the administrative processing of a complaint, the Ombudsman may conduct further investigations of a complaint upon the request of the complainant or upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":231148,"text":"If the Ombudsman finds in the course of an investigation that an individual’s action is in violation of state or federal criminal law, the Ombudsman shall immediately report that fact to the local attorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General. If the complaint is against a child-placing agency, the Ombudsman shall refer the matter to the Department or local department for further action with respect to licensing or approval.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14132,"edition_id":1,"name":"Office of the Children's Ombudsman","identifier":"4.4","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13132,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:58","permalink":{"id":172251,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14132,"identifier":"4.4","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4","url":"\/2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13132,"edition_id":1,"name":"Office of the Governor","identifier":"A","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12784,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","permalink":{"id":171457,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13132,"identifier":"A","token":"2.2\/I\/A","url":"\/2.2\/I\/A\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12784,"edition_id":1,"name":"Organization of State Government","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12749,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":171455,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12784,"identifier":"I","token":"2.2\/I","url":"\/2.2\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12749,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of Government","identifier":"2.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":171453,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12749,"identifier":"2.2","token":"2.2","url":"\/2.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":82383,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-438","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/2.2-438\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-438","metadata":false},{"id":58926,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-439","catch_line":"Children's Ombudsman; establishment; appointment; removal","url":"\/2.2-439\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-439","metadata":false},{"id":65867,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-440","catch_line":"Procedures; training; notification of safety concerns.","url":"\/2.2-440\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-440","metadata":false},{"id":55274,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-441","catch_line":"Individuals making complaint to Children's Ombudsman","url":"\/2.2-441\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-441","metadata":false},{"id":56251,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-442","catch_line":"Children's Ombudsman; powers and duties","url":"\/2.2-442\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-442","metadata":false},{"id":57255,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-443","catch_line":"Abused or neglected children; children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption; powers of Children's Ombudsman; child fatality cases; investigation","url":"\/2.2-443\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-443","metadata":false},{"id":63429,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-444","catch_line":"Decision to investigate; notice; pursuing administrative remedies or channels of complaint; further investigation; violation of state or federal criminal law; complaint against child-placing agency; petition requesting court jurisdiction or termination of parental rights","url":"\/2.2-444\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-444","metadata":false},{"id":59527,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-445","catch_line":"Department and child-placing agency; duties; information to be provided to biological parent, adoptive parent, or foster parent; access to departmental computer networks","url":"\/2.2-445\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-445","metadata":false},{"id":60624,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-446","catch_line":"Confidentiality of record of Children's Ombudsman; disclosure; limitations; release of certain information","url":"\/2.2-446\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-446","metadata":false},{"id":71669,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-447","catch_line":"Report of findings; recommendations; consultation with individual, Department, local department, children's residential facility, or child-placing agency; publication of adverse report; notice of actions; information provided to complainant; child fatality investigation; report","url":"\/2.2-447\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-447","metadata":false},{"id":58073,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-448","catch_line":"Penalty for filing complaint or cooperating in investigation prohibited","url":"\/2.2-448\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-448","metadata":false},{"id":81030,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-449","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/2.2-449\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-449","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":57255,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-443","catch_line":"Abused or neglected children; children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption; powers of Children's Ombudsman; child fatality cases; investigation","url":"\/2.2-443\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-443","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":59527,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-445","catch_line":"Department and child-placing agency; 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This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 1090<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2023, chapter 750<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":172277,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63429,"identifier":"2.2-444","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-444","url":"\/2.2-444\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-444\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-444","dublin_core":{"Title":"Decision to investigate; notice; pursuing administrative remedies or channels of complaint; further investigation; violation of state or federal criminal law; complaint against child-placing agency; petition requesting court jurisdiction or termination of parental rights","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-444","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Upon deciding to investigate a complaint from a complainant<\/span> or an individual not meeting the definition of complainant<\/span>, the Ombudsman<\/span> shall notify the complainant<\/span> or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant<\/span> of the decision to investigate and shall notify the Department or local department<\/span> or children’s residential facility, or child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> of the intention to investigate. If the Ombudsman<\/span> declines to investigate a complaint or continue an investigation, the Ombudsman<\/span> shall notify the complainant<\/span> or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant<\/span> and the Department or local department<\/span>, or children’s residential facility, or child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> of the decision and of the reasons for the Ombudsman<\/span>’s action. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Ombudsman<\/span> shall advise a complainant<\/span> of administrative remedies and may advise the individual to pursue all administrative remedies or channels of complaint open to the complainant<\/span> before pursuing a complaint with the Ombudsman<\/span>. Subsequent to the administrative processing of a complaint, the Ombudsman<\/span> may conduct further investigations of a complaint upon the request of the complainant<\/span> or upon the Ombudsman<\/span>’s own initiative. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> If the Ombudsman<\/span> finds in the course of an investigation that an individual’s action is in violation of state or federal criminal law<\/span>, the Ombudsman<\/span> shall immediately report that fact<\/span> to the local attorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General<\/span>. If the complaint is against a child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span>, the Ombudsman<\/span> shall refer the matter to the Department or local department<\/span> for further action with respect to licensing or approval. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDECISION TO INVESTIGATE; NOTICE; PURSUING ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES OR CHANNELS OF\nCOMPLAINT; FURTHER INVESTIGATION; VIOLATION OF STATE OR FEDERAL CRIMINAL LAW;\nCOMPLAINT AGAINST CHILD-PLACING AGENCY; PETITION REQUESTING COURT JURISDICTION\nOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS (\u00a7 2.2-444)\n\nA. Upon deciding to investigate a complaint from a complainant or an individual\nnot meeting the definition of complainant, the Ombudsman shall notify the\ncomplainant or the individual not meeting the definition of complainant of the\ndecision to investigate and shall notify the Department or local department or\nchildren’s residential facility, or child-placing agency of the intention\nto investigate. If the Ombudsman declines to investigate a complaint or continue\nan investigation, the Ombudsman shall notify the complainant or the individual\nnot meeting the definition of complainant and the Department or local\ndepartment, or children’s residential facility, or child-placing agency of\nthe decision and of the reasons for the Ombudsman’s action.\n\nB. The Ombudsman shall advise a complainant of administrative remedies and may\nadvise the individual to pursue all administrative remedies or channels of\ncomplaint open to the complainant before pursuing a complaint with the\nOmbudsman. Subsequent to the administrative processing of a complaint, the\nOmbudsman may conduct further investigations of a complaint upon the request of\nthe complainant or upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative.\n\nC. If the Ombudsman finds in the course of an investigation that an\nindividual’s action is in violation of state or federal criminal law, the\nOmbudsman shall immediately report that fact to the local attorney for the\nCommonwealth or the Attorney General. If the complaint is against a\nchild-placing agency, the Ombudsman shall refer the matter to the Department or\nlocal department for further action with respect to licensing or approval.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 1090; 2023, c. 750.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}