California Department of Social Services License Defense Attorney
When you are a licensed operator of a child care facility or assisted living center for the elderly, your career and livelihood are dependent on your professional license. If your license is under investigation, your reputation and financial future are in jeopardy.
Our license defense attorneys have successfully represented hundreds of child care and assisted living licensees before the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). We are highly experienced at representing licensees like you. Schedule a free consultation today to find out your best next steps.
We frequently represent:
- Child care centers or day care operators
- Adult care providers
- Children’s residential care providers
- Senior care centers or providers of residential care for the elderly
- Mental health rehabilitation centers and psychiatric health facilities
Don’t Underestimate The CDSS
The California Department of Social Services has considerable power and discretion when it comes to denying licenses or disciplining licensees for alleged violations. If the CDSS determines that you have ignored a pertinent regulation or violated a statute, it has the authority to:
- Immediately suspend your license with a Temporary Suspension Order (TSO)
- Revoke your license completely
- Place you on probation
- Refer you for criminal prosecution
At Century Law Group, LLP, we will proactively explore all available options for defending your professional license while preserving your reputation and avoiding criminal sanctions. Our CDSS professional license defense lawyers are particularly adept at guiding clients through the complexities of the administrative hearing process for CDSS cases, which differs from that of many other licensing agencies.
Let Us Protect Your Rights, Your License & Your Livelihood
During our decades of successful representation of licensees in the day care and nursing home industries, our child care and adult care defense attorneys have achieved notable results in cases involving a wide array of accusations. These include allegations of:
- Abandonment
- Child-on-child violence, or inappropriate supervision
- Child abuse and neglect
- Criminal convictions for adults-in-contact
- Drug or alcohol addictions
- Exposing children to profane conduct
- Failure to maintain appropriate records
- Failure to attend mandatory training
- General negligence
- Misuse of WIC, CalFresh or food stamp programs
- Noncompliance with technical rules on safety
- Noncompliance with radios
- “Tough love” corporal punishment, such as battery and spanking
- Unprofessional conduct
Applying for CDSS Licensure in California
In order to become a registered child care provider in the state of California, you are required to obtain a license through the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). As a licensed Family Child Care Home provider in the state of California, you are eligible to supervise 14 or fewer children in a home or home-like environment and provide any non-medical care for the children for a maximum of 24 hours consecutively. Upon licensure, your home will be deemed as safe and satisfying basic health and safety requirements. Once you become a licensed Family Child Care Home provider, parents seeking child care providers will be referred to you through Resource & Referral (R&R) agencies. Additionally, you may be eligible for financial reimbursements for food that you provide the children, from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Child & Adult Care Food Program. To learn more about licensing options, you can visit the California Department of Social Services page.
In order to become a licensed Childcare provider, it is important to complete the following steps:
- Contact a Community Care Licensing Division in order to schedule an orientation. Orientations are available at the physical office locations throughout the state, as well as through an online orientation .
- Upon completion of the orientation, you should retain the following documents – the Orientation Certificate (valid for six months after completion of the orientation); the California Code of Regulations Title 22 for Family Child Care Homes; information on Resource & Referral agencies; CCLD Application Packet and Criminal Clearance information.
- After the orientation, it is essential that you complete a Tuberculosis (TB) test and obtain Health and Safety CPR/First Aid certification.
- Next, submit your application to the Community Care Licensing Division, where you will be matched with a Licensing Analyst.
- Before your application is accepted and you are eligible for your license, you must complete the Criminal Clearance information.
Criminal Records and Licensing
As a Family Child Care Provider applicant, you must submit three criminal clearances, for the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Child Abuse Index Check. This portion of the licensing process could pose problems for any applicants with a prior criminal record.
If you are concerned with how a blemish on your criminal record may affect your ability to obtain or maintain a license from the Community Care Licensing Division, or from another division of the California Department of Social Services, you should seek counsel as soon as possible. With extensive experience assisting child care applicants and licensees, our team of Child Care License Defense attorneys can help you to obtain or maintain your license in California.
Speak with an Attorney Before Taking Any Action
If you are a licensed day care or elder care professional who is facing a denial or loss of your license, contact us immediately for a free initial consultation where we can guide you based on the circumstances of your case. We represent licensees throughout the state of California.
