As of October 1, 2023, D.C. Law 24-317 requires the District to remove (expunge) certain reports of child abuse or neglect from the Child Protection Register.

What is the Child Protection Register?
The Register is a confidential database of names of people who are responsible for acts of child abuse or neglect in the District. The District’s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) investigates reports of child abuse and neglect. At the end of an investigation, CFSA decides one of the following three results:

• Unfounded: The person being investigated was found not to have abused or neglected a child.
• Inconclusive: There is evidence of child abuse or neglect but there is not enough evidence that the person being investigated is responsible.
• Substantiated: There is evidence that the person being investigated is responsible for confirmed abuse or neglect.

Will my name be put on the Register after an investigation?
Only the names of people with inconclusive or substantiated reports are put on the Register. Your name will not be put on the Register if the report is unfounded.

Which reports qualify for expungement from the Register?
Inconclusive reports and substantiated reports may be expunged from the Register if the report does not relate to death, sexual violence, or serious physical harm to a child.

When will my name be expunged from the Register?

Inconclusive Report

After one year, an inconclusive report will be removed from the Register if there are no new substantiated or inconclusive reports.

Substantiated Report

If the child was not separated from the home, the report will be removed after three years if there are no new substantiated or inconclusive reports.

If the child was not separated from the home, the report will be removed after three years if there are no new substantiated or inconclusive reports

• Three years after the date the child was reunified, or five years after the date the report was entered in the Register, whichever comes first, if there are no new substantiated or inconclusive reports..

If the child was separated from the home and not reunified, the report will be removed:

• Five years after the date the report was entered in the Register, if there are no new substantiated or inconclusive reports.

**Substantiated Reports involving a child fatality, sexual abuse, sex trafficking or serious physical injury to a child are never removed from the Register**

How do I know if I have reports on the Register?
To find out if your name is on the Register, you can submit a CPR “self-check” application to CFSA here: htps://cfsa.dc.gov/service/child-protection-register-cpr.

Do I have to do something to get a report expunged?
No. CFSA will automatically delete reports that qualify. If you believe you should not be on the Register, you can contact [email protected] or call (202) 442-6100.

I have multiple reports on the Register. Will CFSA expunge all of them?
It depends. Not all reports are eligible. If you have multiple reports on the Register, some reports could be expunged even though other reports might not qualify.

Who can I talk to if I still have questions?
Call (202) 442-6100 during business hours or email [email protected].