Child in Need of Assistance | Sioux County, Iowa

The Sioux County Attorney is responsible for screening requests for the removal of children and filing Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) petitions. Once a child is declared a CINA, they are brought under the jurisdiction of Sioux County Juvenile Court.
Such CINA referrals should be made to the Department of Human Services by calling the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-362-2178 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). If you believe a child is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.
If the State is seeking the removal of a child or children from a custodian, the State must establish that there is clear and convincing evidence that the children are likely to suffer serious injury or death as a result of the parents/custodians/legal guardians actions or inactions.
In making a decision as to whether or not a Child in Need of Assistance petition should be filed, the State must establish that there is evidence to support one or more of the eighteen grounds for the filing of a petition under Iowa Code Section 232.2(6). Often times there are situations in which adequate safety measures have been enacted so that a Child in Need of Assistance petition is not necessary. In these instances the Department of Human Services strives to provide families with additional services and resources to alleviate future concerns.