Right to Obtain Your CPS Records

When you are placed in foster care, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) keeps a case record. This includes all documents and computer records that DFPS has about you and your placement in foster care. It also includes information from any reports and investigations about abuse or neglect.

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Once you are 18 years old, you can request a copy of your CPS records from DFPS. While you can do this on your own, many former foster youth report that they have difficulties getting their records, so it is better to seek the free assistance of the Texas Foster Youth Justice Project at (877) 313-3688. If you want to request your records yourself, you need to fill out Form 4884 Request from Former Foster Youth for Case Records. If you were never in foster care but CPS investigated reports that you were abused or neglected, you need to fill out the Form 4885 Request for Case Records. You can fill out both of these forms online or print the forms and send them in by U.S. mail.

You can find the forms and more information on the DFPS website here.

When you fill out the record request form, you will need to list an email address. You must have an email address that you check often because you are sent your records and any notifications by e-mail. Make sure you have written your e-mail password in a safe location so that if you lose your phone or if you must access your email from some other device, you will be able to remember the password.

When your records are ready you are sent an e-mail from DFPS Records Management Group, no-reply@nexternal.us, with the subject line that says “Your request has been completed!” In that e-mail will be information about accessing your records in the DFPS records portal. You only have a short period of time to access the records and then your access to them is shut off. So, it is important that you check your e-mail every few days and download the records as soon as they are available.

If the Texas Foster Youth Justice Project represents you and obtains the records, we will take care of accessing the records once they are available, make sure CPS has really given you all of the records you should be getting, and can send them on a USB flash drive so you have a more permanent physical copy to access in the future. If you have a legal need for them, the Texas Foster Youth Justice Project can help you get them more quickly. You may see that some parts of your records are blacked-out (redacted); DFPS has the right to black-out certain information that is considered confidential by state law.

DFPS records are confidential—this means that they are private. In most cases only DFPS staff, your attorney, and CASA may look at your DFPS records unless a court orders that someone else can see them. For example, medical information may be shared with your doctor. Your caseworker might provide some information to your foster parent, your biological parent, and school staff. What is provided should be only what is necessary for your care and education. If someone is considering adopting you, after they have gotten to know you, they will be given a copy of your records. Anyone who looks at any part of your DFPS records must keep it confidential. You may talk to your caseworker about what personal information is being shared with other people.