This is one often used name for a state agency that has the duty of preventing and responding to reports of child abuse, neglect or physical endangerment. The agency is endowed with in loco parentis authority and may bring charges against an errant parent. The agency may also bring a petition involuntarily terminate parental rights. Such agencies also generally overlook the foster care system and place neglected children in foster care homes.
For more detailed information, see our related Family Law terms: