{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1502.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1502.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1502.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1502.html"}],"law_id":74685,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74685,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1502","catch_line":"Establishment of Child-Protective Services Unit; duties","history":"1975, c. 341, \u00a7 63.1-248.7; 1984, c. 734; 1993, c. 955; 2000, c. 500; 2002, c. 747; 2004, cc. 93, 233, 972, 980; 2016, c. 631.","full_text":"There is created a Child-Protective Services Unit in the Department that shall have the following powers and duties:\n\n1\n\nTo evaluate and strengthen all local, regional and state programs dealing with child abuse and neglect.2\n\nTo assume primary responsibility for directing the planning and funding of child-protective services. This shall include reviewing and approving the annual proposed plans and budgets for protective services submitted by the local departments.3\n\nTo assist in developing programs aimed at discovering and preventing the many factors causing child abuse and neglect.4\n\nTo prepare and disseminate, including the presentation of, educational programs and materials on child abuse and neglect.5\n\nTo provide educational programs for professionals required by law to make reports under this chapter.6\n\nTo establish standards of training and provide educational programs to qualify workers in the field of child-protective services. Such standards of training shall include provisions regarding the legal duties of the workers in order to protect the constitutional and statutory rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during investigation through treatment.7\n\nTo establish standards of training and educational programs to qualify workers to determine whether complaints of abuse or neglect of a child in a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or public school, are founded.8\n\nTo maintain staff qualified pursuant to Board regulations to assist local department personnel in determining whether an employee of a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility or an employee of a school board, abused or neglected a child in such hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school.9\n\nTo monitor the processing and determination of cases where an employee of a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or an employee of a school board, is suspected of abusing or neglecting a child in such hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school.10\n\nTo help coordinate child-protective services at the state, regional, and local levels with the efforts of other state and voluntary social, medical and legal agencies.11\n\nTo maintain a child abuse and neglect information system that includes all cases of child abuse and neglect within the Commonwealth.12\n\nTo provide for methods to preserve the confidentiality of all records in order to protect the rights of the child, and his parents or guardians.13\n\nTo establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on family abuse and domestic violence, including the relationship between domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.14\n\nTo establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on identifying, assessing, and providing comprehensive services for children who are victims of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, 22 U.S.C § 7102 et seq., and in the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 42 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq., including efforts to coordinate with law-enforcement, juvenile justice, and social service agencies such as runaway and homeless youth shelters to serve this population.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":268444,"text":"There is created a Child-Protective Services Unit in the Department that shall have the following powers and duties:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":268445,"text":"To evaluate and strengthen all local, regional and state programs dealing with child abuse and neglect.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":268446,"text":"To assume primary responsibility for directing the planning and funding of child-protective services. This shall include reviewing and approving the annual proposed plans and budgets for protective services submitted by the local departments.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":268447,"text":"To assist in developing programs aimed at discovering and preventing the many factors causing child abuse and neglect.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":268448,"text":"To prepare and disseminate, including the presentation of, educational programs and materials on child abuse and neglect.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":268449,"text":"To provide educational programs for professionals required by law to make reports under this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"6"},"6":{"id":268450,"text":"To establish standards of training and provide educational programs to qualify workers in the field of child-protective services. Such standards of training shall include provisions regarding the legal duties of the workers in order to protect the constitutional and statutory rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during investigation through treatment.","type":"section","prefixes":["6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"6","prefix_anchor":"6","level":1,"prior_prefix":"5","next_prefix":"7"},"7":{"id":268451,"text":"To establish standards of training and educational programs to qualify workers to determine whether complaints of abuse or neglect of a child in a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or public school, are founded.","type":"section","prefixes":["7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"7","prefix_anchor":"7","level":1,"prior_prefix":"6","next_prefix":"8"},"8":{"id":268452,"text":"To maintain staff qualified pursuant to Board regulations to assist local department personnel in determining whether an employee of a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility or an employee of a school board, abused or neglected a child in such hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school.","type":"section","prefixes":["8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"8","prefix_anchor":"8","level":1,"prior_prefix":"7","next_prefix":"9"},"9":{"id":268453,"text":"To monitor the processing and determination of cases where an employee of a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or an employee of a school board, is suspected of abusing or neglecting a child in such hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school.","type":"section","prefixes":["9"],"prefix":"9","entire_prefix":"9","prefix_anchor":"9","level":1,"prior_prefix":"8","next_prefix":"10"},"10":{"id":268454,"text":"To help coordinate child-protective services at the state, regional, and local levels with the efforts of other state and voluntary social, medical and legal agencies.","type":"section","prefixes":["10"],"prefix":"10","entire_prefix":"10","prefix_anchor":"10","level":1,"prior_prefix":"9","next_prefix":"11"},"11":{"id":268455,"text":"To maintain a child abuse and neglect information system that includes all cases of child abuse and neglect within the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["11"],"prefix":"11","entire_prefix":"11","prefix_anchor":"11","level":1,"prior_prefix":"10","next_prefix":"12"},"12":{"id":268456,"text":"To provide for methods to preserve the confidentiality of all records in order to protect the rights of the child, and his parents or guardians.","type":"section","prefixes":["12"],"prefix":"12","entire_prefix":"12","prefix_anchor":"12","level":1,"prior_prefix":"11","next_prefix":"13"},"13":{"id":268457,"text":"To establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on family abuse and domestic violence, including the relationship between domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.","type":"section","prefixes":["13"],"prefix":"13","entire_prefix":"13","prefix_anchor":"13","level":1,"prior_prefix":"12","next_prefix":"14"},"14":{"id":268458,"text":"To establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on identifying, assessing, and providing comprehensive services for children who are victims of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, 22 U.S.C § 7102 et seq., and in the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 42 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq., including efforts to coordinate with law-enforcement, juvenile justice, and social service agencies such as runaway and homeless youth shelters to serve this population.","type":"section","prefixes":["14"],"prefix":"14","entire_prefix":"14","prefix_anchor":"14","level":1,"prior_prefix":"13"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13978,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13898,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:29","permalink":{"id":271711,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13978,"identifier":"1","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1","url":"\/63.2\/III\/15\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13898,"edition_id":1,"name":"Child Abuse and Neglect","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","permalink":{"id":271709,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13898,"identifier":"15","token":"63.2\/III\/15","url":"\/63.2\/III\/15\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Social Services Programs","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12789,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","permalink":{"id":271331,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13897,"identifier":"III","token":"63.2\/III","url":"\/63.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12789,"edition_id":1,"name":"Welfare (Social Services)","identifier":"63.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":270661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12789,"identifier":"63.2","token":"63.2","url":"\/63.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":55048,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1500","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/63.2-1500\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1500","metadata":false},{"id":71740,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1501","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/63.2-1501\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1501","metadata":false},{"id":74685,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1502","catch_line":"Establishment of Child-Protective Services Unit; duties","url":"\/63.2-1502\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1502","metadata":false},{"id":69022,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1503","catch_line":"Local departments to establish child-protective services; duties","url":"\/63.2-1503\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1503","metadata":false},{"id":76900,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1504","catch_line":"Child-protective services differential response system","url":"\/63.2-1504\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1504","metadata":false},{"id":73140,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1505","catch_line":"Investigations by local departments","url":"\/63.2-1505\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1505","metadata":false},{"id":77537,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1506","catch_line":"Family assessments by local departments","url":"\/63.2-1506\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1506","metadata":false},{"id":85074,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1506.1","catch_line":"Human trafficking assessments by local departments","url":"\/63.2-1506.1\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1506.1","metadata":false},{"id":87395,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1507","catch_line":"Cooperation by state entities","url":"\/63.2-1507\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1507","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":71740,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1501","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/63.2-1501\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1501","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":69022,"structure_id":13978,"section_number":"63.2-1503","catch_line":"Local departments to establish child-protective services; duties","url":"\/63.2-1503\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1503","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1502\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1975. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 341 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. Unfortunately, the 1975 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 times. 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. Those modifications are as follows: in 1984, chapter 734; in 1993, chapter 955; in 2000, chapter 500<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 747<\/a>; in 2004, chapters 93<\/a>, 233<\/a>, 972<\/a>, and 980<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 631<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":271721,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74685,"identifier":"63.2-1502","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1502","url":"\/63.2-1502\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1502\/","token":"63.2\/III\/15\/1\/63.2-1502","dublin_core":{"Title":"Establishment of Child-Protective Services Unit; duties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1502","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

There is created a Child<\/span>-Protective Services<\/span> Unit in the Department<\/span> that shall have the following powers and duties:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To evaluate and strengthen all local, regional and state programs dealing with child<\/span> abuse and neglect. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To assume primary responsibility for directing the planning and funding of child<\/span>-protective services<\/span>. This shall include reviewing and approving the annual proposed plans and budgets for protective services submitted by the local departments<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> To assist in developing programs aimed at discovering and preventing the many factors causing child<\/span> abuse and neglect. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> To prepare and disseminate, including the presentation of, educational programs and materials<\/span> on child<\/span> abuse and neglect. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> To provide educational programs for professionals required by law<\/span> to make reports under this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> To establish standards of training and provide educational programs to qualify workers in the field of child<\/span>-protective services<\/span>. Such standards of training shall include provisions regarding the legal duties of the workers in order<\/span> to protect the constitutional and statutory rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during investigation through treatment. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> To establish standards of training and educational programs to qualify workers to determine whether complaints of abuse or neglect of a child<\/span> in a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or public school, are founded. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> To maintain staff qualified pursuant to Board<\/span> regulations to assist local department<\/span> personnel in determining whether an employee of a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility or an employee of a school board<\/span>, abused or neglected a child<\/span> in such hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

9.<\/span> To monitor the processing and determination of cases where an employee of a private or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or an employee of a school board<\/span>, is suspected of abusing or neglecting a child<\/span> in such hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

10.<\/span> To help coordinate child<\/span>-protective services<\/span> at the state, regional, and local levels with the efforts of other state and voluntary social, medical and legal agencies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

11.<\/span> To maintain a child<\/span> abuse and neglect information system that includes all cases of child<\/span> abuse and neglect within the Commonwealth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

12.<\/span> To provide for methods to preserve the confidentiality of all records in order<\/span> to protect the rights of the child<\/span>, and his parents or guardians. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

13.<\/span> To establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on family abuse and domestic violence, including the relationship between domestic violence and child<\/span> abuse and neglect. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

14.<\/span> To establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on identifying, assessing, and providing comprehensive services for children who are victims of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, 22 U.S.C § 7102 et seq., and in the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 42 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq., including efforts to coordinate with law<\/span>-enforcement, juvenile justice, and social service agencies such as runaway and homeless youth shelters to serve this population. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nESTABLISHMENT OF CHILD-PROTECTIVE SERVICES UNIT; DUTIES (\u00a7 63.2-1502)\n\nThere is created a Child-Protective Services Unit in the Department that shall\nhave the following powers and duties:\n\n1. To evaluate and strengthen all local, regional and state programs dealing\nwith child abuse and neglect.\n\n2. To assume primary responsibility for directing the planning and funding of\nchild-protective services. This shall include reviewing and approving the annual\nproposed plans and budgets for protective services submitted by the local\ndepartments.\n\n3. To assist in developing programs aimed at discovering and preventing the many\nfactors causing child abuse and neglect.\n\n4. To prepare and disseminate, including the presentation of, educational\nprograms and materials on child abuse and neglect.\n\n5. To provide educational programs for professionals required by law to make\nreports under this chapter.\n\n6. To establish standards of training and provide educational programs to\nqualify workers in the field of child-protective services. Such standards of\ntraining shall include provisions regarding the legal duties of the workers in\norder to protect the constitutional and statutory rights and safety of children\nand families from the initial time of contact during investigation through\ntreatment.\n\n7. To establish standards of training and educational programs to qualify\nworkers to determine whether complaints of abuse or neglect of a child in a\nprivate or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or public\nschool, are founded.\n\n8. To maintain staff qualified pursuant to Board regulations to assist local\ndepartment personnel in determining whether an employee of a private or\nstate-operated hospital, institution or other facility or an employee of a\nschool board, abused or neglected a child in such hospital, institution, or\nother facility, or public school.\n\n9. To monitor the processing and determination of cases where an employee of a\nprivate or state-operated hospital, institution or other facility, or an\nemployee of a school board, is suspected of abusing or neglecting a child in\nsuch hospital, institution, or other facility, or public school.\n\n10. To help coordinate child-protective services at the state, regional, and\nlocal levels with the efforts of other state and voluntary social, medical and\nlegal agencies.\n\n11. To maintain a child abuse and neglect information system that includes all\ncases of child abuse and neglect within the Commonwealth.\n\n12. To provide for methods to preserve the confidentiality of all records in\norder to protect the rights of the child, and his parents or guardians.\n\n13. To establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on\nfamily abuse and domestic violence, including the relationship between domestic\nviolence and child abuse and neglect.\n\n14. To establish minimum training requirements for workers and supervisors on\nidentifying, assessing, and providing comprehensive services for children who\nare victims of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the\nTrafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, 22 U.S.C § 7102 et seq., and in\nthe Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 42 U.S.C. § 5101 et\nseq., including efforts to coordinate with law-enforcement, juvenile justice,\nand social service agencies such as runaway and homeless youth shelters to serve\nthis population.\n\nHISTORY: 1975, c. 341, \u00a7 63.1-248.7; 1984, c. 734; 1993, c. 955; 2000, c. 500;\n2002, c. 747; 2004, cc. 93, 233, 972, 980; 2016, c. 631.","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}}