DCF, DAIL seek statutory clarity to use sealed records during protective investigations; racial equity office urges caution on sealing policy

Department for Children and Families officials told the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 6 that records created during child protection investigations should remain DCF records even if related criminal records are later sealed.

Brenda Guli, director of operations for the Family Services Division at the Department for Children and Families, said the division treats intake forms, interview summaries and law‑enforcement affidavits gathered during joint investigations as DCF records and uses them to determine child safety and registry placement. “Those records are DCF records,” Guli said, “and that includes law enforcement summary of interviews.”

Guli described the existing process: a centralized hotline receives calls of concern; accepted reports are assigned to family services workers who interview alleged victims, alleged perpetrators and others. She said roughly 13% of hotline intakes originate from law enforcement and are entered into the Family Services Division database (familyservicedivisionfsdnet). When an allegation involves possible criminal activity, Guli said statute authorizes joint investigations and generally gives law enforcement the lead while family services staff participate in interviews to avoid re‑traumatizing victims.

Guli and DCF general counsel Jennifer Mica told…