What is a child in need of services?
Under Florida Statutes, chapter 984, a "family in need of services" means a family that has a child who is:
- Running away
- Persistently disobeying reasonable and lawful demands of the parent or legal custodian and is beyond the control of the parent or legal custodian
- Habitually truant from school or engaging in other serious behaviors that place the child at risk of future abuse, neglect, or abandonment or at risk of entering the juvenile justice system


A family is not eligible to receive services if, at the the time of the referral, there is an open investigation into an allegation of abuse, neglect, or abandonment or if the child is currently under supervision by DJJ or DCFS due to an adjudication of dependency or delinquency.

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1. What is juvenile delinquency?
2. What is the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC)?
3. How do I find out about my child's charges?
4. If I have a juvenile record, how can I receive a copy?
5. What is a dependent child?
6. If my child has been removed from my care, who do I contact?
7. If my child has been removed from my care, when will I go to court?
8. What is a child in need of services?
9. Where can I go to get guardianship of a child who is in my care and has no court intervention involving abandonment or abuse?
10. What are the Laws about Juveniles and Tobacco?
11. What is required to satisfy a juvenile smoking citation written under statute 569.11 or 877.112 (6)?
12. What is required to satisfy a juvenile smoking citation written under statute 386.212?
13. How do I pay for my citation?
14. Where can I go to do Community Service?
15. If I do community service, is there a form that I need to submit as proof?
16. Where can I take the Tobacco Education Course?
17. Who is responsible for submitting the certificate when the tobacco education course is completed?
18. How do I contest my citation?
19. What laws govern the Juvenile Courts?
20. How can I report what I think is a child abuse, neglect, or abandonment situation?
21. What are some examples of juvenile delinquency charges?
22. What cases are handled by the Juvenile Court?