FAQs

Anyone who has concerns regarding Colorado’s child protection system. We often hear from parents, grandparents, juveniles, foster parents, attorneys, child protection professionals, mental health providers and medical professionals.

The CPO is charged with hearing the public’s complaints related to services administered by any public agency or provider that receives public money to support the safety, permanency or well-being of children. We also help Coloradans navigate the complex child protection system and connect them with resources.

The CPO will contact you regarding your complaint within 48 business hours of receiving a message. We will research your complaint – this may include reviewing records we have independent access to that are not otherwise available to the public. We may also contact relevant agencies. Once the case is closed, we will contact you and provide a summary of findings if appropriate.

The CPO office has a strict confidentiality policy. We keep the identities of complainants and individuals from whom information is acquired confidential. The statute that governs our office only requires us to release identifying information if it is necessary for us to perform our duties or support recommendations resulting from investigation. If that is the case, we will inform you. The CPO will release the information about a contact to the proper authorities should the contact make any statements of credible harm to themselves or to someone else.

We cannot provide legal advice.
We cannot investigate claims of abuse or neglect.
We cannot investigate complaints against attorneys, judges, guardians ad litem or magistrates.